The Love of a Legacy
by cat-gibbylover
Summary: Finnick has always been protective of his little sister but what can he do when she is selected for the 74th Hunger Games? When she teams up with misunderstood Thresh will something more the friendship blossom? Discover what really happened to Thresh and how love can turn someone from a man of stone into the sweetest man alive. The story is better than the intro so please read.
1. Introduction

'Wake up' I hear my brother's voice whisper in my ear, but I don't want to, not today. He always says it won't be me but we both know that's not true the Capitol will do anything to cause more drama and picking me will practically destroy the hearts of its citizens.  
'I'm not going to say it again, WAKE UP! Your stylists will be here soon and today's the day when you have to look perfect.' When I didn't move he ripped the blankets off my bed and picked me up and threw me across the room.  
'HEY! WHAT THE HELL FINNICK!' I grumble under my breath, 'I was getting up.'  
'Sure you were, now go downstairs and eat. They'll be here soon and like I said you need to look perfect for today.' He folded his arms across his chest and motioned towards the door with his head.  
'Why do I always have to look perfect? Wasn't it you who said that they're never going to pick me? So by that logic I can look like a slob.'  
'It's just in case, but I will never let them take you from me.' He wrapped his strong arms around me and held me close and I could tell that he was fighting back his tears just as I was. 'Now downstairs, breakfast, shower, stylists, go.'

I rolled my eyes at him as I walked down the stairs of our house in Victor's Village. I was used to the fuss especially when it came to today, the day of the reaping. I was the angel of the Capitol ever since my brother was in the games. I was allowed to stay in the Capitol for the whole time and I'm the only person who wasn't a mentor or citizen who's ever done that. They only let me because Mags pretended that I was her aid so I didn't have to stay home alone as my parents were dead and my only family was about to be involved in a fight to the death.

I was seven at the time and they thought I was the cutest thing ever, I was constantly interviewed and they even let me sit next to my brother during his interview once he'd won the games. They changed him, he used to be so happy and carefree and now he hardly ever smiles when the cameras aren't around, that's why I'm glad he found Annie she brought a part of my brother back. He worries now that I'm sixteen that they'll want to put me in the games as it's more exciting when previous victor's family members are selected so it's only a matter of time.

As a reached the kitchen I saw that Mags and Annie were already sitting and eating, I slipped into my usual seat and Mags patted my cheek clumsily whilst Annie stared blankly into the distance. Even though everyone thought they were crazy I loved them because they were my family and I couldn't live without them.

I gulped down my food, I wasn't really hungry but Finnick would kill me if I didn't eat. You see I'm diabetic and I have to watch what I eat because if my sugar level gets out of whack serious stuff can happen to me, like almost death serious. Back in the olden days before the Capitol you could be fine if you just ate right and took your insulin but nowadays it's more serious, it's become mutated thanks to some weird chemical mix-up so if you don't take these special injections called Chemical XG and watch what you eat you could die.

I was just about finished when I heard the sound of a hover-craft. 'Shit, they're here.' I leapt out of my chair and raced to my bedroom ignoring Finnick telling me off for swearing. I stripped at the speed of light and jumped in the shower ignoring how freezing the water was, I quickly washed my hair and got cleaned up and was finished by the time I heard a knock on the door and Tatiana's heavy Capitol accent asking if she could come in.

I draped a towel over my wet, naked body before opening the door and letting my three very excited stylists in. 'I have a feeling today's the day may dear.' Cooed Tatiana as she cupped my face in her hands and tilted it to see all the different angles. 'It's too bad that we don't get to see you everyday whenever we aren't here you hide this beautiful face away behind that hair of yours.' As if on cue Georgiano ran his fingers through my damp, white-blonde hair and tutted.  
'It's just so lovely my dear why use it to hide something equally as beautiful when it can be used to make it even more so, hmmm?'  
'Can we just get this over with please,' I mumbled the words under my breath, I'm not good with people I can only ever be myself around my family and my best friend Toby.  
'Snippy, snippy. Honey when we're done with you, you're going to look even more fabulous than last year but of course once again your brother has quelled our talent and says the natural look is best so people let's get to work.'

I had to sit still for at least 2 hours well they made me over, so much pulling and prodding, waxing everything and making sure there wasn't a hair out of place. When they were finished I looked beautiful, I hated looking like this it made people look at me and I hated when they looked. I preferred to blend into the background, baggy clothes and long hair that fell across my face. But even then it didn't work; Finnick says no amount of dirt can make a diamond blend in amongst the coals.

I was wearing a tight-fitting white dress, with a large silver belt that sat high up on my waist just under my breasts. My hair hung loose but my fringe was pinned back framing my face which was covered in make-up, dark eyes and lips as red a blood. High, black heels pinched my feet but I was used to it, it was one of the many things that Finnick made me practice.  
'All done my dear, we'll go get your brother so he can check you over.' They left the room and I plopped down on my bed next door, I could easily be picked today anybody could. I thought about all the kids in all the districts thinking that this year could be there's.

The year of the 74th Hunger games.


	2. The Reaping

**Disclaimer, ok so I forgot to put this in the first chapter oopsy, I don't own the Hunger Games no matter how much I would like to. So nothing much happened in the first chapter, just introductions and backstory as well as the greatest character ever, FINNNICK!**

**So this chapter is the reaping and the train scene.**

'Jay, can I come in? They said that you were ready.' Finnick called throught the door as I lay on my bed contemplating my future and everything else that could possibly go wrong in my life. 'Yeah you can, I look like an idiot though.'  
'You could never look like an idiot,' Finnick replies as he plops down beside me on the bed, 'And you definitely don't know. You look beautiful and when they see you you'll get a million sponsors. That is if you were to get picked, which you won't.'  
'I could.' He sighs and pulls me close to him, I shouldn't have said it but it's true he denies it every year and when I don't get picked it's always I told you so. I'm so worried about what will happen if and when I do get picked. 'I just meant anything's possible, you got picked, Mags got picked and so did Annie. The odds aren't really in our favour are they?'

'Don't talk like that, if you do get picked you can win easily. You've trained your whole life, how to act in front of an audience, you can use any weapon and you know how to survive. But that stuff is just a back up, I won't let them pick you. Now Toby's downstairs and he'll want to see you coz I know he didn't come all the way down here to talk to me, even though I am fabulous.' He flicked his hair and wiggled his eyebrows like he did for the cameras to drive the women wild making me giggle because no matter what the capitol believed he was nothing like that, he was almost as shy as me.

* * *

Me and Toby walked down the street into town in complete silence, he was thinking the exact same thing as me. What if this year is our year? It's like Tatiana said 'I have a feeling that today's the day' and it very well might be anything is possible.

'Can you stop that please, it puts me on edge.' I looked up at Toby his eyes were on my hands and the knife I was running through my fingers. 'Sorry, nervous habit, Finnick says to always be on alert.' I tossed the knife in the air before shoving it into my belt. 'We're not in the games yet Jay, there's no need to be alert and anyway you do it all the time even if you don't have a knife like in school with a pencil. I think I saw you do it with a celery stick once, now I know you can't kill any on with a celery stick or can you?'  
That was all it took to get us to forget about the reaping, we fell on the floor laughing our heads off at how ridiculous he had made me sound. We didn't stop until the baker Mr. Reym walked past and looked at us like we were lunatics. 'Well it's nice to see that some one is enjoying themselves on today of all days. Good Morning Toby and who's this with you? Wait... Juniper Odair is that you, well I hardly reconised you without your hair in your face if you didn't dress like that every year for the reaping I never would have believed that it was you.'  
'Good Moring Mr. Reym. On days like these it's good to have a laugh to ease the tension don't you think Jay?' I hid behind Toby's back and made a high pitched squeaking noise in reply. 'That was a yes if you were wondering sir.' 'I know I'm used to it, I think everyone is. I feel sorry for the reporters if that girl ever gets reaped she won't give them a darn thing.' 'You never know sir, people can surprise you. Come on Jay.' He grabbed my hand and pulled me down the street as tears began to form in my eyes.

When we were a good distance away, he put my face in his hands and pulled it up to meet his. 'Don't listen to him, you're not going to get reaped.' 'You sound just like Finnick.' I punched him in the arm and pulled away and began walking quickly down the street. Toby jogged to catch up with me. 'Slow down will you, you need to stop being so negative you might not get picked.'  
'Yeah, and what if I do? What if we both do and it comes down to just us? Do you really think I can kill you? DO YOU, DO YOU! AND WHAT ABOUT YOU COULD YOU KILL ME? COULD EITHER OF US KILL ANYONE? IT'S ALL ABOUT THE TRAINING AND THE SPONSORS BUT WHO'S GOING TO TEACH YOU HOW TO KILL A LIVING PERSON TO TAKE A LIFE JUST BECAUSE SOME SHIT-HEAD POLITICIAN TOLD YOU TO!' He just stood there staring at me, in fact everyone around us was staring at me. No one had ever heard me say more than a few words my entire life and now I was standing in the street screaming about how I hated the Capitol.I was lucky only a few people were around and they weren't likely to run off and tell a peacekeeper what I was saying.  
'I get it Jay, you think that I don't have those exact thoughts? Everyone here acts like being reaped is some big privilege but only you and I know the truth. Finnick and Annie and Mags scared the shit out of us with their horror stories. If we play, we play fair but we still play to win and we make a promise never to kill each other no matter what. Okay?' 'Okay.' And with that we continued to walk down the street in silence again because there was nothing left to say it had all been said.

* * *

I stood in the crowd in the town square over looking the ocean, the slight breeze blowing my hair accross my face. I could see Toby standing with the other boys and talking with his friends, I had no friends so I stood alone. I looked up at the Justice Building and saw Finnick standing on one of the balconies staring straight ahead. He never looked at me because I knew if he did he would cry and you had to be strong for these things. Nobody was allowed to see the real you. I whipped around to face the front when the screech of a microphone signalled that it was starting. They called boys names first in our district I don't know why it's different in every district so I had Toby to worry about first than I could think about myself.

I watched as the Mayor gave his speech and as they showed the same movie about the games, 'War, terrible war...' When it was over Connie stepped forward and the real business began. 'As usual we will draw the men first..' I let out a sigh of relief as it wasn't Toby and watched as the others from my district fought and clawed their way in order to gain a chance to be the tribute. It was a skinny 14 year old that I'd never met before he took the stage proudly. I glanced over at Toby who smiled at me a look of relief washing his face but worry over took it when Connie said 'And now ladies it's you turn. And the female victor of the 74th Hunger Games is...' She plunged her hands into the glass ball and pulled out the tiny piece of paper that would determine my destiny. 'Juniper Odair.' Shit.

I took a deep breath and was about to walk up to the stage when I heard a scream, a terrified screech. I whirrled around and saw Finnick trying to climb over the edge of the balcony whilst the other victors held him back. 'VOLUNTEER! SOMEONE FUCKING VOLUNTEER! DON'T LET HER GO! DON'T LET HER DIE! DON'T LET HER DIE! VOLUNTEER VOLUNTEER VOLUNTEER!' Everyone had stopped to watch him as he screamed and tried to get to me. The people in the Capitol were probably having a field day with this, they would tear him apart, I had to do something. I walked out into the aisle, people parted like the sea to let me through and I stood facing Finnick not caring for once in my life that everyone was staring at me.

'FINNICK!' He stopped dead at the sound of my voice and just stood there with an expression of shock. 'Stop this Finnick, it's okay. Being selected to participate in the Hunger Games is an honour and a privilege. Our family is blessed that we both get to be a part of something so great. Now calm yourself Finnick, remember the world is watching.' I spun on my heel and walked up the steps and clasped Connie's outstretched hand. That last line had really got him, he told it to me everyday that I acted shy as a hope I would be more out there so that when they came to interview the people in my district they would have some positive things to say. He had never thought that I would ever use it on him.

'Well that was dramatic, do we have any volunteers?' They stood silent nobody dared to take my place after what just happened, there was no way they could follow that, they would never be able to do anything that would make as big a fuss as Finnick just had. They would never be able to outshine me now and that's what I was afraid of. 'Well then... I present to you your victor JUNIPER ODAIR!' I twirled like an idiot and blew a kiss into the audience before I stepped forward to shake the boy's hand.

* * *

We were then hearded into the Justice Buildin, I sat alone on the green, velvet couch and watched the fish in the aquarium accross from me swim whilst I waited. The doors opened and Toby ran through them and pulled me into his arms nearly crushing me to death. 'Can't breathe, dying here.'  
'Oops sorry Jay, accident. It's just, you know... I umm..'  
'Might never see me again as I could die from a number of strange occurences?'  
'Don't even.'  
'Sorry, I just. You know.'  
'Are doing the thing with the knife again.' I glanced down at my hand and saw that he was right. I shoved it clumsily back in my belt blushing.  
We spent the rest of the time just sitting there no amount of training could have prepared us for this moment.  
'Time's up kid.' The peacekeeper gestured at the door and Toby got up giving me one quick hug before he left, tears streaming down his face.

It didn't take long before Finnick came charging through the door and practically tackled me. I couldn't help myself I started crying like a baby in his arms. We just stood there holding eachother for ages until finally we broke apart and I asked him the one thing that had been on my mind this whole time.  
'Did I do good?' He pulled me close to him again. And whispered in my ear.  
'No sweetheart, you did great. You were great. You're going to win we're going to get through this. They've agreed to let me be your mentor so I can take care of you okay. We're going to get throught this.' I nodded.  
The peacekeeper came agin and herded him out.

Annie and Mags came next. They didn't talk, neither of them could very well. Mags patted my cheek like she did at breakfast and Annie just held ou a piece of cloth for me to take. It was a bandanna with a fish sewn in the middle and in the corners were different pictures. Annie pointed to one, a person swimming and the gestured at herself and then to a fishing hook and pointed at Mags.  
'You and Mags' I said, she nodded than pointed to a picture of a trident. 'Finnick?' She nodded again then pointed at the empty cornor and then at me. I understood I wasn't famous for anything yet, Mags had one by fishing and out living everyone, Finnick had killed everyone with a trident and Annie was the only victor who could swim. I hadn't one yet, only then would my picture be put there.  
'Thanks Annie I love it. I love you, you too Mags.' I pulled them into a hug and began to cry again, so glad the my makeup was water proof.

* * *

I waved at the photographers as we boarded the train making sure that I looked as happy as I possibly could whilst I clutched Finnick's hand as hard as I could so scared as I knew all these people would never stop watching me. As we got into the train I turned to Finnick.  
'They can't see us anymore can they?'  
'No, why? You shouldn't be afraid of them.'  
'It's not that... I forgot... medicene... feel... sick... don't want... see'  
And with that I collapsed on the floor.

**Okay so that was chapter 2 I hope to get a new chapter out soon but yeah, I have exams this week. Please Review, favourite all that stuff it would mean alot to me.**


	3. The Training Begins

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games no matter how much I would like to. So this chapter is the parade and the training so it's gonna have some of the mains like Katniss and Peeta in it. And I know that in the actual book the girl from district 4 is a career but I'm changing it so deal with it.**

I woke up in bed with my head pounding and my mouth feeling like I just ate a sock. I opened my eyes and immediately sat bolt upright; I was in a room I had never seen before. It was the same size as my one at home but it was more official looking, nothing out of place. I had no idea what I was doing here until I remembered everything about the reaping and then I realised I was on a train heading to my death. I sank back on the green, silk pillows knowing that Finnick was going to kill me because I didn't take my meds but it wasn't my fault. There was just no time between prep and the reaping and all my goodbyes.

There was a knock on the door as Finnick came into my room carrying a tray. 'Hey, how are you feeling?'  
'Like shit... I know, I know don't swear but it's true.'  
'Well whose fault is that? If you just did what I said then you wouldn't be in this mess, would you? Now eat up we can watch the reruns of the reaping. There are some good ones in there this year it's gonna be tough but no one can ever beat you.' He put the tray down next to me and shoved me over to make room for himself on the bed before switching on the T.V.

We watched all the victors go by and I saw that Finnick was right there were some good people this year, but there were also people with obvious flaws like the kid with the limp. The one who stood out the most was the girl from 12 she just ran forward to save her sister; she did what Finnick tried to do. What was more unusual though was the fact that she was from one of the lower districts, I don't think that I've ever seen some one from 10, 11 or 12 volunteer for anyone. That girl must really love her sister just like Finnick loves me enough to make a fool of himself in front of the whole world.  
The only other one I noticed was from 11, he was huge and built like a mountain with skin as dark as the night sky, he was beautiful. He was also the perfect ally, if I could get someone like that on my team it would make winning so much easier. He didn't look like he would join the careers but they would definitely want someone like him in their alliance. That was precisely why I needed him.

* * *

The train ride was pretty uneventful we just ate and talked strategy, I stayed in Finnick's room most nights as neither of us could sleep without having nightmares about the games, what happened to him as well as what could happen to me. We mainly stayed up talking about District 4, Annie, Mags, Toby and what it was like before our parents died.  
We arrived after several days travelling and the train was instantly mobbed by people trying to catch a glimpse of us arriving. I stood by the window smiling and waving, all the while dying inside because so many people were looking at me and I couldn't stand it. I had to fight back the tears so I didn't look like a scared little girl even though that's what I was. The boy kind of shied away, I wondered if the careers would let him join them, or if they would kill him on sight.

As soon as we stepped out of the train we were whisked to our stylists, I was lucky because unlike everyone else I had been working with mine for years and knew how to handle them. Finnick made them come every year for the reaping so I could look my best and leave an impression if I was ever drawn. They circled me like vultures before begining the intense beauty treatment, the waxing and the baths of disgusting liquids, I was used to it though. All the while they were cooing about how they knew this year would be my year, how they had waited for this day all there lives, and how the usually got ugly tributes so it was a nice change having someone so beautiful. I tuned out after a while, I just wanted this day to be over with.

When I was ready I sat waiting for Tatiana to come and give me my outfit hoping that I wasn't going to be a fish, or wear nothing but a net like Finnick did his year. She came in and held it out for me to see, I was surprised by how gorgeous it was, no fish, no nudity simple yet beautiful. She helped me into it and touched up my makeup.  
It was a blue mesh halter dress with a shell bra attached to the sea through mesh singlet, with a starfish accented scaled skirt netted at the bottom; my hair was curled and was left loose along my shoulders accented with shells and starfish. They had added a pink and a blue streak to my hair running down either side of my face. Tatiana said it was my signature, the thing to help people to remember me by.

* * *

I stood by the carriage waiting, the boy from my district was stuck dressed as a fish and I felt so sorry for him. He started sputtering when he saw me like an idiot which made Finnick laugh, he gave me a hug and told me I looked perfect and that I'd make a splash 'Ha, Ha'

I was standing there when I noticed something shining on the ground, I bent down to pick it up and saw it was a crescent shaped necklace, the symbol of District 11. It was probably one of their tokens; I looked around for their carriage which was near the back.  
'I'll be right back' I told the boy from my district.  
'Where are you going? We're supposed to stay here; it's going to start soon.' He was freaking out.  
'I'm not going very far, just over there I found someone's token and I want to give it back to them. I'll be back in a second.' I walked past all the carriages and all the tributes turned to watch, they were all glued to theirs and here I was walking away from mine. I wondered if it was against the rules but nobody stoped me so I kept going. When I got to the carriage for 11 I saw that the girl tribute, who was tiny and small but she was also already wearing a necklace made from grass around her neck, it must have been his. Perfect, I thought to myself smiling.

'Excuse me' He turned around to look at me, he raised his eyebrows when he saw I was a tribute and a half naked tribute at that. He couldn't talk he was dressed as a farmer in gaudy overalls and a wreath on his head, if either of us should be embarrassed it was him.  
'What?' His voice was surly and coarse, he was the kind of person who didn't spend time talking just standing around and looking tough but his glare wasn't intimidating me.  
'I think you dropped something 11. Is this yours?' I dangled the chain in front of his face, he lunged at it and snatched it out of my hands.  
'Yeah'  
'Ooh, feisty. And rude, haven't you heard? Snatching isn't nice. Tsk tsk 11 learn some manners.' His face was priceless, I was probably the only person who hadn't run away screaming but had actually teased him but if I wanted him in my alliance I had to act like talking him wasn't scaring the shit out of me right now.  
"Umm... sorry. You... you aren't scared of me?'  
'What's there to be scared of?' I stood up on my tippy toes bringing my face inches from his and stared straight into his deep, brown eyes his eyes flicked down to my bright pink lips and he was edging closer.  
'WHERE THE HELL IS 4, HOW THE HELL DO YOU LOSE A TRIBUTE?' A woman in black with a clipboard was freaking out near my carriage yelling at the boy.  
'I guess that's my cue to leave wouldn't want to cause a scene, now would we?' A giggled and twirled in my heels and headed back to my carriage.  
'Nice ass!' His comment stopped me dead in my tracks. It was the first honest thing someone in the Capitol had actually said to me.  
'Nice hat.' I called and kept walking smiling to myself, I saw his reflection in the back of 9's carriage and he was smiling too.

'Sorry, I had to see a guy about a necklace. I hope I didn't cause to much trouble miss.'  
'Just get in your carriage and stay there.' She walked off in a huff to check on the tributes from 5 and I couldn't help but laugh when I looked over at the guy from 11 as he raised his eyebrows and shook his finger at me.  
'It's not funny you know. You shouldn't have left you could've been in serious trouble you know.'  
'But I'm not am I? Let's just get in the carriage and do this thing ok.'

The parade went by like a blur, so much waving and smiling but none of it mattered we were nothing compared to 12. They rode out in armour made from fire looking fierce and dangerous and the people loved it, no one compared to their brilliance everybody would want to sponsor them. I would have to work really hard to get the Capitol citizens to notice me now.

* * *

'Well look who it is, the girl with the ass.' I slid into the car and came face to face with the boy from 11. Another tribute tried to get in the car but he shut the door in his face and told him to get the next one.  
'I have a name you know.'  
'I know Juniper right? I'm Thresh.'  
'It's Jay and I prefer 11.'  
'Then I prefer ass girl' He wiggled his eyebrows at me in an attempt of what I can either assume is flirting or to get a laugh.  
'Thresh it is then.'

The car stopped in front of the hotel and we didn't get to talk anymore than that as Finnick grabbed my arm and twirled me around.  
'That was perfect, they just ate you up.'  
'I'm pretty sure that was the fire people that they wanted to eat.'  
'They were good but you had presence, they just had a fancy costume, when it comes to training you're going to kick their butts now off to bed so you're ready for tomorrow.'

* * *

I pulled the training clothes on, a black tank top and tight fitting tracksuit pants feeling nervous because I knew some of the kids were probably better than I was even though I had trained hard for this those in 1 and 2 wanted this more than anyone and had been training since the moment they were born and I had only started after Finnick won when I was 7.

The tributes stood grouped by District though the careers had already joined together they motioned for me and the boy from my district to join them and he hurried over looking happier than I'd seen him for this whole trip. I stayed where I was but I did edge closer to where the tributes from 11 stood.  
'In two weeks 23 of you will be dead, 1 of you will be alive. Who that is depends on how well you pay attention over the next 4 days, particularlly to what I'm about to say. First; no fighting with the other tributes you'll have plenty of time for that in the arena, there are 4 complusary excersises but the rest will be individual training. My advice is don't ignore the survival skills, everybody wants to grab a sword but most of you will die from natural causes. 10% from infection, 20% from dehydration, exposure can kill as easily as a knife.' And with that Alta (the woman in charge of the training) let us loose, of course nobody listened to her and they all began showing off in an attempt to intimidate everyone. All except the two from 12 who went to the knot-tying station and stayed out of the fighting.

I strolled over to the knife station I needed to feel the steel run through my fingers to calm me down and the careers hadn't managed to find there way over yet, they were focusing on spears and swords so I was all by myself. I twirled it round and round caressing the blade with the tips of my fingers.  
'You ought to be careful with that you know, everyone thinks it's easy to throw a knife but it takes practice, precision and skill.' I turned to find the instructor standing behind me eying the balde.  
'It's not that hard you know.' I turned to face him and threw the knife over my shoulder, the clunk of metal told me I'd hit my mark as well as the look of shock on the instructors face.  
'Shit...that was a lucky shot, no way you could do it again.'  
'There's no such thing as luck, not if you're in here.' I turned away from the knife station wary that the eyes of many of the tributes were following me, I turned to look at the target, I must have put to much spin on it because it didn't stick it had cut it's head off instead making me seem even more of a good shot. I shrugged at the target and walked past the faces of awe to the fishing station. I didn't want everyone staring at me and at least here I couldn't do anything to impressive.

I stayed there until lunch just wishing that people would stop glacing over at me. The tributes mainly sat by themselves except for the tributes from 12 and the careers. I see Thresh sitting at the back the careers keep glancing at him and nudging eachother, they want him in their alliance but no one wants to ask someone that looks so damn scary. Except me.

'Lookie who it is, hey 11.' He looks up smiling and nods at the seat across from him ignoring the fact that the whole room had gone silent and is staring at us in shock, alliances that aren't careers and are from the same district don't happen until in the games. Stuff like this doesn't usually happen, districts don't talk to eachother.  
'Hey blondie,' he says as I slide into the seat.  
'What happened to ass girl?' He laughs  
'I changed my mind okay, it's allowed you know. You gonna stab me or something' he was looking at my fingers, without realising I had grabbed the butter knife and was spinning it through my fingers. i dropped it on the table and blushed  
'Nervous habit.'  
Seems like a habit like that can come in handy where we're going.'He leant in forward and lowers his voice. 'People are staring'  
'It's because I'm just so damn gorgeous.' It made him laugh and soon we couldn't stop. The harder we laughed the more people stare which just makes us laugh even more.

The boy from four has gotten to his feet and is moving towards us. I guess Thresh doesn't look so scary when he's having fun.  
'Shit, I think you're right about the gorgeous thing. The boys are flocking.'  
'Hey Juniper, Thresh. I was wondering... I mean we were all wondering.. what I'm trying to say is... umm... you see... In the arena it's good to have an alliance and... like I said we were wondering, if maybe... you wanted... I mean you don't have to... umm... join ours?' He was speaking really fast with huge pauses and he looked like he was going to be sick.  
'No thanks, I can't speak for Thresh but I'd rather allign with someone who I know isn't going to try and kill me in my sleep.' I smirked at him and began to shovel down my food praying that I hadn't blown it and that Thresh wouldn't go off with them. I couldn't even look up at him.  
'I'll stick with blondie.' That's all he said before glaring at the boy and spending him sprinting back to the careers like a bullet. 'That okay with you?' I nodded and smiled into my lunch.

We stayed together for the next two days, he taught me how to toss a spear and I showed him how to throw a knife. No one else had teamed up, just the careers and the tributes from 12, everyone else stayed by themselves looking scared and avoiding eyesight. No one laughed and smiled bu us and the 12s, but I figured that if you're about to die you might as well have some fun.

* * *

We sat in the hard backed chairs waiting for our names to be called. It was dead silent and I was next, Finnick told me to stick to my strengths so that meant knife throwing but I was better with a spear not for throwing but for fighting like a sword. That's what I was good at.  
'Juniper Odair.'  
The robotic voice was summoning me and I felt like I was going to puke. I rose slowly and looked back at Thresh, he smiled and threw me a thumbs up. The little girl Rue looked at the two of us and giggled and made kissy faces at Thresh who scowled at her and shoved her gently but she didn't stop. I would have smiled if I wasn't so nervous. I walked through the giant, metal doors and stood in front of the judges.

'Juniper Odair, District 4.' They nodded and were ready for me to proceed.  
I started by throwing a few knives at the targets getting bullseyes every time and recieving large applause from those watching. But I was only getting started, I walked over to the knife throwing machine and hit the start button and went into survival mode. I dodged every blade that it threw at me no matter how fast they were going, I back flipped over to the spear station and picked up the one closest to me. I spun the spear repeatedly in my hands catching the blades in the wood, they were flying at the speed of light now but it didn't bother me, this is what I was good at, nothing could ever catch me. I ran forward a the machine zigging through the speeding metal shards and at full speed I drove the spear into the head of the machine flipping away just before it exploded and landed in a perfect splits. They just stood there, their jaws at their feet in complete awe.

Finally after what felt like forever one of them nodded and pointed at the door still not taking his eyes off the machine. I curtsied thanked them and walked out the door.

**The costume she wears is the first one to come up on google images when you type in mermaid costume, it's really pretty. :)**


	4. And Then It Starts

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games no matter how much I would like to. So now we're getting into the interesting stuff, the interviews and the start of the actual games.**

We sat around the television waiting as they announced our scores. I was worried, scores meant potential sponsors and if you scored low they were less likely to pick you. Finnick had reminded me earlier that scores didn't matter, people could be faking in order to come across as less of a threat and the ones with higher scores are usually always targeted first.

They called the boy's score first, the careers had gotten in the 8-10 range and those from 3 got 6s and 7s. I could tell he was nervous the careers wouldn't want him on their side if he didn't score at least a 7 any lower than that and he would be dead weight.  
'... 5' His whole face just dropped, the careers would kill him on sight if he tried to follow them and continue to be a part of their alliance.  
'It's okay, a 5s okay.' Me and Finnick look at each other knowing that no matter what his mentor says that this kid has lost his chance, careers don't play weak. They play to win.  
'Juniper Odair, District 4...' We all go silent as my name is announced, I broke their machine they could be pretty pissed and score me low or they could be impressed and score me high, either way I'm a target.  
'11' The number flashes repeatedly on the screen. Shit now I'm definitely a target hardly anyone ever scores higher than a 10. Shit.

Finnick runs to me and pulls me into a hug, spinning me around in his arms. Everyone is clapping and cheering except the boy who sits quiet in the corner scowling, wishing he could be me.  
'Finnick, did I do good?' I look into his sea-green eyes longing for my brother's approval.  
'No you didn't...' No it was my turn for my face to drop in disappointment, 'because you did great.' He picked me up laughing and spun me around again.

* * *

It was interview time and my stylists spent forever getting me ready, they had picked my theme and I was so hoping for shy and hidden but no they picked sexy and mysterious. They thought that everyone in the Capitol knew me as that shy, little girl but if she disappeared it would leave them wondering and begging to know more about me and where that little girl went.

I was dressed in tight, low-cut, black jeans with a woven brown belt lying on my hips. A see-though, netted black singlet clung to my chest and plain, black, 6-inch heels decked out my feet. My jewellery was simple and my hair hung loose around my shoulders still streaked with the blue and pink. My make-up was fierce with black, smokey eyes and shiny, red lips. I looked cool yet scary, the person you saw and were always afraid to talk to because they looked like they could cut you to pieces.

We walk single file across the stage as the crowd cheers and are seated in an arc to the left of the main stage in order of districts. One by one they start to step onto the stage each with a different gimmick in order to make themselves noticed. My turn comes quickly each interview lasts only three minutes and seeing as I'm 7th I really don't get that much time to prepare. Be confident, answer all the questions but not fully, leave them wanting more, be mysterious.  
'Juniper Odair, District 4.' Caesar Flickerman screams my name and gestures for me to join him on the stage. I rise making sure to smile and wave at the crowd as I make my way up the steps to centre stage.

I reach Caesar and shake his outstretched hand; he takes mine in his and plants a kiss on the tips of my knuckles. I sit down next to him as the crowd roars and stamps their feet.  
'It's good to see you again my dear, the last time I saw you you were this tiny, shy, little thing. What happened, you're stunning. Isn't she stunning?' The crowd cheers as a picture from my last interview with Caesar from when Finnick was in the Hunger Games flashes across the screen behind us.  
'Thank you Caesar, I was just so sick of Finnick being the beautiful one so I decided to show him up.' The crowd laughs along with Caesar who is shaking his head.  
'Well your brother is rather beautiful, but nothing when he is compared to you right now. Speaking of your brother, that was quite a scene he made at your reaping, hey?'  
'Finnick loves me more than anything, he was just concerned.' Finnick was looking at me begging me to say it he was nodding but I couldn't it wasn't right, the words tasted like vomit as they fell out of my mouth. 'He just didn't want me to steal his glory, he's a hero and nobody likes to be outshone by their little sister.'  
The crowd was nodding in agreement as if the understood what I was going through, living my whole life in my brother's shadow but none of it was true. He loved me to much to watch me die I hated having people think of him that way.  
'Yes, yes I know how it feels, I was so nervous when I first took up this job. I didn't think I'd measure up to the previous interviewer but there's always room in this world for more than one celebrity. Now I've been hearing rumours my dear that you have a little problem, medically. Care to comment?'

Shit, that's all that was going through my mind, shit, shit, shit, shitty shit. how the hell does someone find out something like that. I saw my face on the screen, it had gone pale white and the audience had gone quiet. No one wants to back a dying girl. I had to do something and fast.  
'Oh Caesar nothing to serious. I just have a little problem with sugar you see. And it's making it really hard to sit next to you right now. Because... because... because you're just so darn sweet.' I winked at him and blew a kiss causing him to blush and the crowd to roar.  
'Well, my my my. I'm not sure your boyfriend would enjoy that would he?'  
'Boyfriend? No offence to the boys in 4 but none of them compare to these Capitol boys so I'm holding out for one of them.' I looked over Caesar's shoulder and saw Thresh laughing and shaking his head, it totally ruined his badboy demeanour but thankfully for him I was the only one looking.  
'Did you hear that boys she's single and looking for love, maybe if she wins you'll get lucky.' Every guy in the audience was on their feet screaming and the peacekeepers were having to hold them back as they tried to rush the stage. I blew them a few kisses and they started to scream even harder and peacekeepers were pouring in from every door.  
'Well I can see that everyone wants you to stay longer,' he was having to scream above the noise, 'but sadly your time is up. Good luck my dear.' He kissed me on the cheek before I went to sit back down. I felt sorry for the boy no one was paying him any attention and it was only half way through his interview before they eventually quietened down and started to pay attention to something other than me.

I thought I had this interview thing in the bag until 12 comes out and reveals his secret love affair with the other tribute from 12. Unrequited love like that blows sex out of the water, he took over everyone's interest and when we stood for the anthem all the cameras were focused on them.

* * *

As we are hearded back stage and to the cars, thresh grabs my arm and pulls me into his closing the door before anyone else can enter. He takes off the hat he was probably forced to wear and holds it out to me.  
'You hate crowds I can tell, and by the colour of your face you could use this.'  
He pushes it into my hands and I grab it and vomit up everything I had to eat that day. The whole time he holds back my hair and rubs my back whilst I ruin his hat, his stylist's going to kill him.  
'I thought you were amazing' he says when I finish defiling his head wear. '12s got nothing on you'

I smile but have no time to answer as the car stops and we are lead into the building by peacekeepers. Thresh's stylists catches up to us in the elevator and Thresh shoves the vomit filled hat into his hands and shrugs.  
'Accident.' he grumbles and the guys face is priceless which causes to laugh so hard tears begin to stream down my face. The elevator stops at my floor first and Finnick raises an eyebrow when he sees us. Me clutched over gasping for breath, the stylist stuttering and motioning at the hat and Thresh holding me up grinning like an idiot, we must have looked like we were crazy.  
'Ahem, well um... bye 11 this is umm... my floor. I'll catch you tommorrow.' I blush and stumble out of the elevator as Finnick stares at me.  
'Umm, yeah bye. Try not to die. I'll be seeing you' the doors shut on his face which has gone as red as a beetroot.

'Making friends I see. Alliance?' I punch him in the arm and nod. He gives me a look of approval.  
'Just be careful though, you can't always trust people. And by the way you were absolutely perfect tonight.' He pulls me in for a one armed hug and shoves me towards the living room.

We re-watch our performances whilst the stylists, Connie and Finnick and the other mentor make comments on what we did well and what could have been better as we ate our dinner. I watch Finnick the entire time knowing that if I die in the games this will be the last time that I will ever see him. I could tell he was fighting back tears, he was worried about me. He'd have to watch everything that I'll go through and he won't be able to stop it.

When it's over Finnick pulls me into the dining room away from everyone else. He holds me as we both cry for hours.  
'I'll be there every step of the way. Get to the Cornucopia, get your medicine, then run like hell. Get away from there, I'd want you to stay away initially but you need that medicine okay?' I nod and he pulls me in for one last hug before we both return to our bedrooms.

* * *

Tatiana wakes me up before dawn, she hands me some simple underclothes to wear. I won't get the proper outfit until we arrive at the actual arena. She chatters away as we head to the roof where a hovercraft is circling. I grab a hold of the ladder that descends and my whole body freezes, I'm left like that until a tracker is injected into my arm. It takes a little less than 2 hours to get to the arena; we descend into a small launch room.

I shower, brush my teeth and take my meds remembering what Finnick told me about getting to them no matter what, without it I'm dead. It's what's most likely going to kill me. When I'm done Tatiana puts my hair in a simple ponytail, the coloured streaks running down either side of my face and she gives me the clothes that I have to wear. Simple tawny pants, light green blouse, sturdy brown belt, and thin, hooded black jacket that falls to my thighs.  
'Finnick gave me this, it's your token.' She pulls out the bandanna Annie made me, I haven't had a chance to wear it yet and Finnick must have found it in my stuff, she ties it in my hair and it begins to remind me of home.  
'Please don't let them see me die.' I whisper to myself.

A voice announces that it's time to prepare for the launch. I walk to the glass cylinder and stand on the metal plate. Tatiana is overcome with joy, it's the moment she's been waiting for since the day she met me.  
'Finally it's your turn. No more living on your brother's shadow.' I turn away from her and nod as I wipe the tears off my cheeks. I will not let them see me cry. The metal plate rises and the cool air floods my lungs as I rise into the arena. I hear Claudius Templesmith's voice echo around the arena.  
'Ladies and Gentlemen, let the 74th Hunger Games begin.'

As I stand waiting on my plate I observe my surroundings, they're beautiful unlike some years with deserts or freezing mountains. We are so lucky. We're on a flat, open stretch of ground. A plain of hard-packed dirt. Behind the tributes across from me, I can see nothing, indicating either a steep downward slope or even cliff. To my right lies a lake. To my left and back, spars piney woods. I glance at the Cornucopia trying to find my medicine but there are so many containers I can't tell which is mine until I spot it a medium-sized, white briefcase with the letters XG printed in large, red letters. That's mine.  
The gong sounds and I run, I don't even bother to look around I just sprint for that case I see the girl from 6 running alongside me. We reach the Cornucopia at the same time and I grab the weapon closest to me a giant axe and swing as hard as I can in her direction, I didn't aim high enough and catch her in the legs slicing them clean off. I have no time to be horrified I grab the case, a black backpack and I shove the axe in my belt.  
'BLONDIE' I hear the scream over the racket and spin just in time to see Thresh running into the nothingness I noticed before. I smile and run out of the chaos following. No one bothers to attack me they're all preoccupied in getting their own stuff so I'm safe. For now.

The slope leads into a field with grass that stretches up over my head, I can't see much. It's dangerous but it's also a great place to hide. I walk slowly aware of my surroundings; Thresh may not be the only one in here. There's only a small chance of the cameras watching me, they'll be focused on the bloodbath, I'll only be featured if I'm in immediate danger. Out of nowhere a knife slashes in front of me, I jump back just in time as the blade stops inches from my throat. Thresh's eyes are wide and crazy, his breath heavy.  
Tsk tsk 11, you know you could kill someone doing that.' I pushed the blade out of my face as Thresh rolled his eyes at me.  
'Oh. It's just you I thought it was someone remotely dangerous.'  
'Ha ha very funny, be careful next time, I could've died.'  
'Yeah because that never happens in places like this.'  
A large crash off in the distance made us realise we were still very much in danger. Thresh grabbed my hand and started pulling me through the long grass.  
'Hurry up blondie it isn't safe here.'  
'Calm down Thresh, do you really think anyone is going to follow a mountain into a place height is an advantage. I don't think so.'  
'Still we can't camp here, let's keep going find some where good.'


	5. The First Death Tally

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games no matter how much I would like to. So the Hunger Games has officially begun and Thresh and Juniper are together. Let's see what happen:**

We walk for about half an hour through the grass as Thresh points out all the different types of grain and wheat, I just nod so afraid that anyone could be following us and anyone could be watching. The blood bath is probably over so we might be getting some screen time and comments about us being an unlikely pair will be flooding the ears of the Capitol's citizens.  
Thresh sweeps away the grass and a glen opens up before us, it looks so tranquil with a large lake in the middle, the edge of the forest at the back and a mountain side surrounding the left side with a large cave protruding from it. It was a paradise so well hidden amongst the grass; I bet the Game makers never expected anyone to ever find it, I mean who would risk travelling through a place where they can't see.

'Wow, this is... wow' We just stood there staring at how beautiful it was, it seemed so unnatural to have place like this in the place where we were most likely to die.  
'Do... do you think it's safe?'  
'I dunno blondie, I guess we're just gonna have to find out, now won't we,' he winks at me before walking into the clearing and checking out the cave and the lake. 'Looks safe to me come on.' I hesitate before joining him.  
'Let's do a quick stock check before we go to set up camp and go looking for food.' I nod and we go and sit in the mouth of the cave and begin to unpack our bags. They both contain pretty much the same things; a couple of packs of crackers, a pack of dried beef strips, some dried fruit, a bottle of iodine, some matches, a coil of some kind of wire and two empty, metal water bottles. Mine though had a sleeping bag whilst Thresh's contained two thick, woollen blankets. Add that to the axe I have as well as Thresh's knife and a spear that he picked up and we had a pretty good supply.

'What's in the case?' Shit, I really didn't want to tell him, it made me look weak and if I admitted it to him then I would have to admit it to everyone watching and that could risk my sponsors.  
'Umm... nothing you know just some stuff. Nothing important, nothing that concerns you.' In a flash he's leapt to his feet and drawn his knife and is holding it against my throat.  
'It's all or nothing, no secrets, no hiding, what's mine is yours and what's yours is mine. So are you going to show me or am I going to have to take it from you by force?' I kick Thresh in the stomach and he goes sprawling, dropping the knife, I grab it from the floor and stand over him directing it at his face.  
'Never threaten me again. Do you hear me?' He nods fear flashing in his eyes. I grab the case and shove it along with the knife into his hands.  
'It won't help you, like I said it's for me. Take it twice a day, morning and night. Without it I die. Caesar had it right, I'm sick and I'm dying,' I turn my back on him and walk away from the cave as I whisper, 'I understand if you don't want me in your alliance.'  
'Dying or not I'd rather have you than anyone else. Now are you going to help me look for food or are you just going to stand there feeling sorry for yourself?'

'Give me the knife.' I hold my hand out to him.  
'No, you could cut me to shreds with that thing. Why on earth would I give it to you, you can have the axe, it'll cause me less damage.'  
'You can't fish with an axe, and there's a higher chance of me catching us a fish than you catching anything in the forest.'  
'Wanna bet on that, if I catch more game out in the woods than you have to do the gutting and the cooking but if you catch more fish than I'll do it. Deal?' We shake hands and he walks into the woods taking with him the spear and the axe, I roll my eyes and get to work.  
I've been fishing since the day I could walk, it was like that with everyone in our district, if you were old enough to walk and talk you were old enough to make an honest pay. You started off with fishing rods but as you got older your techniques got more advanced such as spear fishing but that long stick never did fit right in my hands when I was off of land so I created my own style. You had to be fast if you wanted to stab a fish without it swimming away from you and I was the only person in the entire district who could do it. So I spent the rest of the day diving into the water and collecting as much as I could desperate to beat Thresh at his own game.

'So blondie how'd you do?' I spun round in the water and saw Thresh dangling a couple of weird looking birds above my head. 'They're called groosling, now what do you have.'  
I shook my knife in front of his face and he laughed at the small snapper shoved on the blade.  
'I guess you're cooking then.'  
'Turn around 11.' His face fell as he turned and saw the pile of 10 large tuna sitting on a leaf at the entrance to the cave. '11 to 2, guess I win. Now help me out before you start cooking.' He grabbed my hands and pulled me onto the shore, his eyes went wide and he quickly turned away sputtering.  
'It's just underwear 11, it's not like I'm naked or anything.'  
'Umm... It's well, it's just ahh...'  
'Men' I mutter under my breath, I bet the Capitol is having a field day with this the hot girl is half naked. Honestly it's disgusting but how else am I supposed to get sponsors if they all think that I'm gonna die anyway.

* * *

We sat around our fire wrapped in our blankets as we ate a fish each along with some herbs and grains that Thresh picked.  
'You're actually a decent chef.'  
'Thanks but I'm never betting against you again.'  
'Ha well never question the fishing skills of someone from 4.'  
'I'll remember that, so what's it like where you live.'  
'Peaceful, quiet we live just on the river in Victor's Village since my brother won the Hunger Games once. His mentor Mags moved in after he won since our parents are dead and he needed help taking care of me. Annie his girlfriend stays over allot, there's hardly ever any talking at my house since Mags had a stroke and can't say very much and Annie is scared of everything so she just keeps to herself.'  
'Wait isn't she the one who went crazy after her alliance's head was cut off?'  
'Uhuh, she's getting better but when I saw her before I left she couldn't even speak, she probably can't handle seeing me here after what she went through.'  
'Sounds rough' All I can do in reply is nod.

We sit in silence for a few moments before Thresh starts up the conversation again.  
'My parents are dead too, they were whipped to death by peacekeepers because they weren't working fast enough. It's just me and my grandmother and my sister now. I have to work twice as hard because my grandmother can't work anymore.'  
'I'm sorry, my parents drowned, their boat crashed when they were crayfishing. It happens all the time in my district. We're all friends with the peacekeepers so noone ever gets beaten to death.'  
'Everyday someone dies in my district because of it, bu they lie say it was an accident that they fell out of a tree or got in the way of the harvester. And the worst thing about it is that there's nothing I can do about it.' I could see the tears forming in the edges of his eyes and I was glad that they had probably cut away from us by now, Districts aren't allowed to find out what happens in other districts because it could cause panic and what Thresh was talking about could ruin the Capitol.  
'I'm so sorry.' I reached over and held his hand in mine and we sat in silence for what felt like hours.

We broke apart when the anthem started playing and we walked out to the edge of the cave and looked up in the sky.  
'I hope the little girl's ok.'  
'From what I saw of her she's a fighter. I doubt anyone could've caught up to her.'  
The sky was flooded with images of the dead tributes; the girl from 3 was first meaning that the careers were alive. I gasped when the boy from my district flashed across the screen.  
'Were you close?' I shook my head.  
'I never even knew his name.'  
The boy from 5 was next followed by both from 6, one of which was my fault.  
'I got her, cut her les off; she tried to take my medicine. She probably didn't even know what it was.'  
'Still if you hadn't she could've gotten to it first and you would be the one in the sky.'  
Next were the boys from 7 and 8 then both from 9 and finally the girl from 10.  
'That one was me.' I nodded and stared at the sky as her picture faded away and the Capitol's seal replaced her face.  
'See I told you. The little girl has guts, she's alive.'  
'But for how long?'

**Sorry this chapter was so short and kinda boring, the next one will be better. It's just that I've been studying for exams but I just felt that I had to post something. Review and favourite hopefully you tink it's good.**


	6. It Rains Fire

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games no matter how much I would like to. I'm so annoyed at this chapter because my computer kept crashing and I had tor rewrite it like 3 times but I think it's better now but still. I hope you enjoy.**

I wake with a start as the cannon sounds and the first rays of daylight stream through the entrance of the cave, scared that they could have found us but Thresh's steady heartbeat brings me back to reality. We're snuggled close together inside the one sleeping bag with the blankets wrapped around the two of us. I was surprised that both of us fit seeing as Thresh is a living mountain but the sleeping bag stretches to fit and it was already huge to begin with. Thresh suggested that we both get some sleep as noone would be likely to find our cave and we should be rested and ready for whatever hits us.  
'11, 11 wake up.' I crawl out of the sleeping bag and shake Thresh's arm, he bolts awake and tackles me to the ground his eyes crazy.  
'Shit blondie, don't do that you scared the crap outta me.'  
'Well I just thought that you'd like to know that a cannon just went off plus the sun is rising so it's time to get up okay. Jesus attacking me for doing him a favour, honestly.'

We eat the leftover from last night for breakfast and sit in the mouth of the cave, watching as the sun rises. I think back to home when me and Finnick would watch the sun whilst we were fishing.  
'So who do you think it was?' His voice brings me out of my daydreams.  
'What?'  
'The cannon, who do you think died? I hope it wasn't the little girl'  
'Well let's think shall we. 10 died last night so that means there's 14 people left, minus the 2 of us that makes 12. So there's a 1 in 12 chance it was her which are actually pretty good odds if you think about it. It could be anyone really so stop stressing.'  
'You know those odds aren't actually that good.'  
'Shut up and anyway it means nothing bad will happen to us for a while, a death keeps the game makers and the Capitol happy. When it's quiet we should be more worried then they'll be wanting more action.'  
'I guess you're right, come on I'll teach you how to hunt.'  
'I know how to hunt besides my way if more effective as proved by the loss of a certain bet last night.'  
'Just come on, I need a look-out.'

* * *

As we walked Thresh pointed out all the things that reminded him of his home back in District 11. The Groosling, mocking-jays and all sorts of plants used to heal, to eat and a variety of other reasons. I didn't recognise half the things I saw, I was used to marine life and all the plants and animals that came along with it.

'So did your brother teach you how to hunt?' I nod my head and remember the days back when he used to push me to my limit and come back from the market with hundreds of wild animals that he'd bought and releasing them around the house for me to find.  
'He filled the house with animals and stood there laughing watching me. I wasn't allowed dinner until I'd caught all of them but he always forgot how many he'd bought. I'd convinced him that I had all of them and he'd have to believe me because he couldn't prove I didn't. Once I woke up in the middle of the night and he was screaming so I raced into his room and he was standing on top of his bed. There was this huge rat-like thing that he'd bought two days before circling him and he was waving a lamp at it in order to keep it away from him. I ripped the sheets off his bed and used them as a net, I convinced him to let me keep it as a pet and I called it Finnick Jr. which pissed him off. It hissed and carried on when he came in the room, it always hated him. He kept track of the numbers after that.'  
Thresh had stopped and was doubled over laughing, 'You have the weirdest life you know that?'

It took a while for him to stop laughing before I asked him, 'What about you, anything funny ever happen to you?'  
'Not really, life was pretty bland you woke up, you worked and the you slept.'  
'Oh that's too bad. But now if you win, you can have enough money to make a better life for your family.'  
'What will you do with the money if you win?'  
'Give 3/4 of it to your family.'  
'That's not funny.'  
'I wasn't joking. I don't need the money I have plenty since Finnick won, heck I don't even need the house. But your family do of you can't come to work so I'll give most of it to them.'  
'Promise?' He stopped dead in front of me, his eyes boring into mine.  
'Promise.'

We walked in silence for the rest of the day. Thresh wasn't the best at hunting, he was so huge you could see him coming from a mile away and being that big meant he wasn't that stealthy either in fact he was kinda noisy. But he was fast if he saw something it didn't stand a chance against his spear. It was noon before we decided to head home and by that time he'd caught 2 groosling and a few rabbits.  
'Do you think we'll run into anyone out here 11?'  
'I highly doubt it.'  
'Why is that?'  
'If you look at it this way to get to where we are we went around the back of the arena but if someone started to walk in this direction from the forest closest to the Cornucopia they'd have to walk around the whole edge of the arena which would be at least a few days walk maybe even a week and that's without rest breaks.'  
'Okay but what if they were to cut across the field by the lake to the section of the forest by the back.'  
'I bet you anything that the careers will have control of the lake so nobody will be able to pass through that way.'  
'I guess you're right.'

As we sit in the mouth of the cave the girl from 8s face flashes across the sky, she was the only one to die today.'  
'11 dead, 13 left. The odds are getting better.'  
'Like I said before blondie out here your odds will never be good.'

* * *

Thresh decided that he wanted to spend the next day exploring, he said that he wanted to see if he could find anything useful. I think he just wanted to look for Rue; it was like he needed to be able to protect her, like if he could save her it would make his time here mean something. We walked until early afternoon before we stopped to rest on a fallen tree.  
'Do you think we should head back or do you want to keep looking? If we're going to go back we should probably go now if we want to make it before night fall.'  
'Yeah, I guess you right we should head...' He stopped suddenly and looked at the sky watching the mocking jays that circled overhead. A smile crept across his face.  
'11? What is it?'  
The birds were singing a perfect harmony of the same four notes over and over again ringing out amongst the trees and the most beautiful song was being formed.  
'They're here.'  
'Who? What are you talking about? What's going...' Before I could finish my sentence he grabbed my arm and was pulling me through the trees. I was stumbling over rocks and branches so much that he eventually just picked me up in his arms and kept running. His eyes were locked on the sky the whole time as the song got louder and louder and more birds began to join in.  
He finally stopped in front of a thick tree, towering over everything with mocking jays perched on every branch and even more circling above, all of them singing.  
'You know no one's working, you don't have to signal.'  
I thought he was going crazy, talking to birds as though they had some alteria motive and could actually understand him. That was until a tiny voice answered him,  
'Yes but if I didn't signal how would you know where to find me?'

* * *

We set up camp a few hours away from the cave since evening was already falling and it would be stupid to travel whilst the sun is down. We'd decided not to make a fire because it was to risky even though there were three of us now and we doubted anyone would attack us when we were this strong anything could happen out here if someone was desperate enough.  
Rue sat in my lap smiling as I braided her hair, she was beautiful and seemed so fragile to me that I understood Thresh's need to find her if anything happened to her I would blame myself. Thresh seemed allot happier that we'd found her because now he can take care of her and doesn't have to worry that much.  
'So what are we gonna do about dinner blondie?'  
'I dunno no fire means we can't cook. And I don't wanna risk eating raw meat and one of us getting sick. But we didn't bring enough fruit, herbs or dried meat to be split between the three of us.'

We were contemplating what to do when I saw a flash of silver cut between the trees. I moved Rue off my lap and walked towards it, Thresh followed behind me. Hanging from a branch above our heads was a large, silver tub attached to a parachute.  
'Who do you think it's from?' Thresh asked as he plucked it from the branch.  
'Only one way to find out.'  
We took it back to Rue and cracked it open, it was filled with food. 6 apples, 12 rolls from District 4 shaped like a fish, tinted green from the seaweed and flecked with salt, a huge slab of cheese and a block of chocolate.  
'Guess it's for you then blondie. Your brother really must love you.'

We sliced 2 rolls each and smothered them in the soft cheese; I dug in breathing in the sweet scent of home and the taste of the ocean. Thresh on the other hand gagged when the taste hit his tongue.  
'So damn salty, ah ah ah.' He chugged water to get rid of the taste while me and Rue rolled around on the floor laughing at his discomfort.  
After dinner I broke up the chocolate and handed some to both Rue and Thresh who looked at it like it was gold. I hated the fact that my life was so much better than theirs and that I actually could go out and buy things like chocolate and all the could do was dream about it.  
'Aren't you gonna have any?' Rue's eyes went wide as I wrapped up the bar not taking any for myself.  
'Too much sugar, makes me sick.'  
'Speaking of, medicine time.' Thresh reached into his pack and pull out a few syringes wrapped in cloth. 'I brought some just in case we'd have to stay the night.  
'Thanks, I totally spaced.' I plunged the syringe into my arm and Rue let out a little gasp.  
'Are you okay?'  
'I'm fine don't worry about it. Besides it's bed time now come on.'  
The anthem plays but nobody's face is shown in the sky meaning that no one died today.

Thresh volunteered to take the first watch so Rue and I snuggled into the sleeping bag, another thing Thresh decided to bring just in case. We didn't feel safe out here at night so far away from our cave.  
'You like him, don't you.' Her voice was barely audible as she whispered through the darkness.  
'He's my friend and we're allies, so yeah I like him.'  
'That's not what I meant and you know it.'  
'Be quiet and get some sleep.' She chuckled quietly to herself like I had just proved her point.

* * *

Thresh woke me up at around what seemed like midnight, he settled in next to Rue and I sat watching and waiting until I saw light emerge in the horizon. I stood shocked it was too early for it to be the sun, I walked a few steps closer and saw the fire ripping at the trees, tearing them down and heading ever closer towards us.  
'THRESH!'  
He leaps to his feet and is at my side immediately, terror streaks across his face as he sees the wall of fire raining down upon us. 'Run, don't stop, don't wait for me. Just run!' He grabs the stuff and shakes Rue awake as I start running back to our cave. I do as he says and don't look back I try to push all thoughts of him and Rue out of my head but I can't I need to know if their okay I stop and spin around. Big mistake a large hiss pierces my ears before I see a giant fireball hurtling towards me at full speed I tuck and roll just in time but it's close enough for me to feel the heat searing against my skin.

I scrambled to my feet and sprinted as fast as I could as I became overcome with smoke, I couldn't breathe as it began to fill my lungs so I pull my shirt over my face and try to keep running but I can barely see. I trip over everything that lies in my path and I give up on running and just begin to crawl along the floor where the smoke is the thinnest allowing me to breathe better. But it doesn't stop me from coughing as the poison is still entering my system, I start to retch but I couldn't stop to vomit so I swallowed it down and kept going. I roll over every time I hear a hiss and the fireballs fly over my head sending debris crashing into me and cutting at my sides.  
I'm about to give up and give in to my fate when I see the water, my beautiful lake next to my wonderful cave. I find the strength to pull myself to my feet and I begin to run faster than I ever have before and I plunge head first into the forgiving water and stay under as long as I can letting it claim me as its own.

When I finally surface I pull myself to the shore and the vomiting begins, everything comes up and it keeps going until there is nothing more to come. So I lay on the shore breathing heavily and I crawl to the water and shove my face in drinking heavily not caring what disease I could get, I need that water. I pull up when I hear a tremendous splash next to me and water rains down along my back. I look up and see the packs strewn on the ground next to me and Thresh emerged in the water.

He lies next to me when he surfaces breathing heavily. I look around with the strange feeling that something is missing and then it dawns on me.  
'Thresh, where's Rue?'


	7. The Sky Shows Promise

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games no matter how much I would like to. **

Thresh spun around rapidly calling Rue's name repeatedly, I grabbed his arm before he went charging back into the flaming woods.  
'You can't, you'll kill yourself.'  
He sunk to the floor sobbing, I wrapped my arms around him and stroked his hair as he cried,  
'She might not be dead, she might not be dead.' I said it over and over again in the hopes that maybe if I said it enough I might actually believe it. 'She might not be dead.' I fell to the floor crying harder than I ever had before, unable to stop. I felt his strong, warm arms drag me into his chest and we just sat there holding each other until the sun went down. The flames had gone out midafternoon but we didn't dare risk the forest again.

When we broke apart I saw that his arm was red and raw and starting to blister.  
'Shit 11. Come here and let me fix that.'  
'I'm okay, really don't worry about it.'  
'Give your fucking arm Thresh and don't be an idiot.'  
He extended his arm to me and I lit a fire so I could look at it better which caused him to flinch.  
'Relax I just need to see you better, nothing bad's going to happen.'  
His burn looked pretty serious and I know we didn't have many medical supplies so I did the only thing I could think of, I lifted my head to the sky, 'Please Finnick, please help me.' It took approximately 10 seconds before the parachute landed in my open hands. I twisted the lid of the container and scooped some of the purple goo onto the tips of my fingers before rubbing it into Thresh's wound. He let out a sigh of relief the moment it hit his skin.  
'Now are you hurt anywhere else?'  
'No, I think I'm good. What about you?'  
'No I avoided the worst of the fire thanks to you. I owe you one.'

We spun around quickly when we heard the anthem blare, I felt Thresh's fingers intertwine with mine and I squeezed my eyes shut not wanting to see her face in the sky knowing that I could have saved her if I really tried.  
'Blondie, blondie, blondie. Look up.' I felt thresh stand as he let go of my hand.  
I opened my eyes and gasped as I looked to the sky, and saw something I was never expecting. No one the sky was empty, no one had died today, that meant one thing.  
'She's alive.'

**Okay yeah it's really short, sorry about that. I've just had the most hectic week with exams and everything meaning I've had no time to write but I felt I owed it to you guys to post. Cliffhanger I hate those but like I said no time but exams are over now so expect a longer chapter in the next few days. Review please it means alot.**


	8. The Search

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games no matter how much I would like to. **

She was alive; neither of us could believe it. We barley slept all night because we worried about the condition in which we would fine her. She had escaped a giant, raging fire of death but she was so small she could have easily gotten seriously burned. Images of her tiny body filled my dreams I was so scared that she wouldn't even survive the night that she was lying somewhere taking her last breath. We wished we could go out looking for her straight away because it wasn't safe to go at night when we couldn't see and anyone could come up behind us due to our lack of visibility.

I knew Thresh felt the same way as me, he tossed and turned next to me all night and it's not easy being in a sleeping bag with a moving mountain. I finally got him to stop when I snuggled in close to him so I didn't feel so alone. He wrapped his strong arms around me and somehow it made it easier to doze off knowing he would always be there for me. I don't know what I'd do if he was the one lost in the forest, he's the only thing keeping me going here, that and the thought of seeing Finnick, Annie, Mags and Tony again.

We were ready to go just after dawn, I wasn't sure about going back into the forest even though I knew the fire was gone and probably wasn't coming back. There could be something much worse waiting out there for us. We searched all morning, looking anywhere and everywhere. Rue was so small she could have fit in any crack between the rocks or the spaces under the fallen trees. It came to the afternoon and there was still no sign of her, I didn't want to give up I wanted to look all day for her but Thresh slipped his hand into mine and looked at me with those huge brown eyes.  
'If we were going to find her don't you think we would have by now? We passed our campsite from the other night ½ hour ago. We should head back.'  
'I guess, I just really wanted to find her you know?'  
'We both did but I don't think there's any more we can do but hope that she'll come back to us.'  
'We can always try again tomorrow right?'  
'Anything you want.' He gave me a quick squeeze before we turned around and headed back to camp.

'I'm going to go hunting since we didn't get anything this morning,' says Thresh after we've returned to camp. I nod but I head to the cave and curl up under the blankets wishing that I could find Rue.  
He'd been gone for around an hour when I heard footsteps outside; I untangled myself from the blankets and went outside to help him drag the haul in. But instead of being met by his steady brown eyes, they were crazy and blue framed by a head of frizzy, brown hair and a hand holding a knife. Shit.

She lunged towards me, I ducked quickly and grabbed her legs shoving her over my shoulders, I ran outside desperate to get away from her as she crashed to the floor of the cave face first. She spun around blood trickling from her mouth down her cheek. She was from District 7 I was sure of it and was relieved she was holding a knife instead of an axe because being from the lumber district she could probably chop me like a tree. She ran full speed at me brandishing her knife I ducked sideways and rolled across the floor, I knew I needed a weapon but she was in front of the cave and there was no way I could get there.

She ran at me again and I tried to duck but she was onto me she grabbed my arm as I tried to turn away and spun me round before throwing me to the ground. I hit the floor hard and felt the blood tricking down my arms. She started to walk towards me her eyes glowing with insanity, I scrambled backwards but there was nowhere to go my hands hit the water and I nearly fell backwards into the lake.

She was still coming as she reached me an insane plan filled my head she brought the knife down as I fell backwards into the water and heard the blade make contact with the ground. I grabbed top of the bank as she tried to pull the knife out of the ground and pushed against it flipping over her head and spinning round kicking her hard in the back causing her to fall face-first into the water. As she swam towards the surface I grabbed her shoulders and held her steady under the water, she thrashed around uncontrollably but I held firm watching as she screamed under the water, I couldn't take it anymore so I squeezed my eyes shut as I held her not wanting to see her die. Big mistake. I screamed as the blade pierced my skin.

**Another kinda short chapter with another cliffhanger, i know I'm evil but I'll be posting another one later today or early tomorrow. Rate and Review, thanks :)**


	9. The Eyes That Haunt

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games no matter how much I would like to. **

Pain shot through my arm as her knife was plunged into my thigh and blood began to gush down my leg and started to mix with the water below. Her nails clawed at my hands but no matter what she did I held her steady under the water. It took 2 minutes before her attacks subsided and her hands fell back into the water and her body went limp.

I crawled backwards away from her sobbing, her lifeless eyes still staring at me from the deep. I squeezed my eyes shut again in hopes of stopping the staring by they were burned in my mind. I curled up in a ball on the floor sick at what I'd just done. I shook my head; it's her or you I told myself. It was her or you. The cannon sounded and I knew then she was dead, it wasn't like when I'd killed that girl from 6 that was quick, she died immediately but this was slow and tortuous I made her suffer.  
It was her or you.

'BLONDIE! BLONDIE! JAY! JAY! JUNIPER!' I pulled my head out of my hands and looked up as Thresh came crashing through the clearing screaming my name swinging the axe in his arms. He dropped his weapon when he saw me lying there in a pool of my own blood. In a second he was by my side cupping my face in his hands.  
'What happened? Who did this? Who's dead?' He was speaking quickly and was out of breath so I barely understood what he was saying. I pointed to the lake and he stood up and walked over cringing when he glanced at the water.  
'Come on we need to move so the hovercraft can come.' He scooped me up in his arms and carried me into the cave, I felt so safe in his arms and I could feel his heart beating quickly against his chest. He placed me on top of the blankets and began to examine the wound.  
'It's not that bad, it could've been worse. I'll need some supplies if I want to fix this.'

As the sound of the hovercraft disappeared a parachute fell at the entrance of the cave carrying a heavy, metal container. He practically pounced on it and brought it back to me. It was a simple first-aid kit containing some bandages, medical cream, pills that brought down fever, tweezers, a needle, and some thread.  
'This is going to hurt okay.' He cut off the leg of my pants and placed one hand on the handle of the blade and held my hand tightly on the other.  
'On the count of 3 okay?'  
I nodded; I had yet to regain my voice. I was afraid to speak because I knew my voice would betray me and make me sound weak. I already looked so weak right now; I couldn't afford to look worse.

I bit my lip hard to keep from screaming as Thresh slowly worked the knife out of my leg. My nails dug into his hand and into the floor of the cave. A pained look flashed across Thresh's face and I could he was trying hard not to react to the pain I was causing him; he was trying to be strong for me. The blade of the knife was bright red when it was finally pulled free, dripping in my blood. Thresh poured water over the wound to clean it out, he wadded up some bandages and made a compress.  
'Hold that there, I'm going to find some herbs to put on that, it isn't that deep so it doesn't need stiches.'  
When he returned he crushed the herbs he brought back under a rock, mixing them with water to make a thick green paste before spreading it over my cut and kneading it into my flesh. I let out a scream as it made contact with my skin; it stung more than actually being stabbed did.

Once he had finished binding my leg he placed some fever pills in my hand, making sure I took them and then picked me up and placed me in the sleeping bag wrapping me tightly in the blankets.  
'Go to sleep, you need to rest okay.' I nodded and drifted off immediately.

She haunted my dreams, the girl from 7. Her eyes dead and white, boring into my soul. They started to melt and pool around my feet, the liquid began to wrap around my ankles and spread over my body, covering me and wrapping around my neck choking me to death. I fell to my knees begging, pleading with her to stop. But the girl from 7 was gone, in her place was Rue looking burned and bloody. She shook her head as tears streamed down her face.  
'Why didn't you save me?'

I sat bolt upright sweat dripping down my face, my heart beating out of my chest. Rain was pounding outside, dripping through the cracks in the ceiling. Thresh was sitting at the mouth of the cave watching the water fall.  
'How long was I asleep?' He looks up at me and his eyes fill with a look of relief, I think he doubted if I would ever wake up.  
'A whole day, it's afternoon now.'  
'Did I miss much?'  
'Girls from 1 and 7.'  
'Shit, but 1's supposed to be the best district.'  
'You could say that, but I'm liking 4 more and more each day.' A smile creeps across his lips and I shove him in the arm as I sit down next to him. He hands me an apple and I bite into the fruit starving.

We sit and watch the rain as it falls filling our lake to the point of over flowing.  
'I love the rain.'  
'Not me in my district when it rained it meant we lost a day of work and it caused the peacekeepers to become grouchy. Sometimes we were even forced to work in it especially if it was harvest season.'  
'But the rain is beautiful, are you telling me you've never gone out and just danced in the rain and felt it run free and completely take over your body?'  
'No because that sounds crazy.'  
'Crazy my ass. Come on.' I stand and strip down to my underwear and he looks at me like I was insane.  
'What are you doing?'  
'I told you, I'm going to have some fun.'

I ran out into the pouring rain his eyes watching me the whole time. I began to dance and spun round and round as the rain soaked through my bones. It felt just like home swimming the ocean, standing under a waterfall and letting the water take me.  
'You know, you shouldn't get your bandage wet.'  
I gave him the finger and kept dancing feeling better than I had since I was reaped.  
'Come inside before you catch a cold and die.'  
I rolled my eyes and walked back into the cave dripping, Thresh stood waiting holding out a blanket for me. He wrapped it around my shoulders as my teeth chattered.  
'See you're going to get sick.'  
I rolled my eys at him again and he wrapped the blanket more tightly around me. Our eyes locked and out of nowhere he covered my mouth with his in a hungry kiss. My eyes widen in surprise, his mouth was so warm, the caress of his lips softer than I could have ever imagined. He sent warmth through my frozen body and I didn't want it to stop. Suddenly, Thresh pushed away as if he'd been burned, he stumbled backwards.  
'I... I... I... have to go.'  
He sprinted out into the rain and I stood stuck in the same spot stuck in that moment. I couldn't help but wonder if Thresh's heart was beating as fast as mine, or if he was feeling anything even close to the burning fire of desire that had taken me over.


	10. A Kiss Has The Power To Ruin A Life

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games no matter how much I would like to. **

2 hours. That's how long I waited for him to come back. 2 hours he was out in the rain probably feeling exactly the same as I did now. 2 hours spent sitting in a damp cave all alone except for my thoughts. 2 hours to think about the kiss. 2 hours to drive myself crazy with questions. 2 hours.

I spent the time sitting in the cave entrance thinking, the questions running through my mind.  
What if he kissed me because he thought it was a good angle like the 2 from 12?  
What if he liked the publicity they were getting and used me to help him win?  
What if he was just playing me to get me to do whatever he said, make me fall for him so that he could manipulate me into letting him win?  
What if he was just grief stricken over losing Rue and he was just looking for an outlet and this outlet was me?  
What if he only kissed me because I was the only person around?  
What if it was because he just needed it before he died?  
And the biggest question of all if he did like me did I like him back?

* * *

He came back dripping wet and shivering his lips tinged blue. I ran towards him and wrapped a blanket around his shoulders as he had down before with me. He refused to look me in the eyes and he mumbled incoherently into his hands.  
'Thresh? What are you saying?'  
'I... I... I'm sorry... I didn't mean it... you were just standing there... looking the way you do... perfect I mean... and it just happened... I didn't mean to... I understand if you don't want to be in an alliance with me... I...'  
I didn't let him finish his rambling; I grabbed the front of his soaking wet shirt and pulled him down to my height our faces inches away from each other.  
'I read in a book once that "A kiss may ruin a human life." it's a good thing that that didn't happen this time isn't it.'  
His eyes grew wide as my lips crashed against his, he was a hesitant at first but when he wrapped his arms around my neck I knew that he wanted it just as much as I did. I pulled him closer as he nipped at my lower lip before running his tongue along the seam of my lips in an attempt to gain access into the depths of my mouth. I opened my mouth allowing his tongue to swoop in and tangle with mine in a battle of the wills. He pulled me up into his arms and I wrapped my legs around his waist running my fingers through his damp hair. He pulled me down onto the floor of the cave and was running his hands down the length of my body.

I was hit with a moment of clarity as Thresh's hands began to make their way inside of my shirt, we were on camera. I shoved Thresh away from me and sat up brushing leaves from my hair. Thresh's expression was a mixture of sadness and confusion.  
'Wha...'  
'We're on camera.'  
'Shit' He looked at me and his lips broke out into a smile.  
'What the hell are you smiling for?'  
'I just kissed the most beautiful woman I've ever met and I thought I was being a complete idiot until she kissed me back and the whole world just saw it on camera.'  
It showed how much I cared about Thresh in the fact that he was the only person who could always make me laugh no matter what. Even if we were in a fight to the death and that our first kiss was caught on camera. I pecked him on the lips and dragged him over the fire.  
'Come on let's get you warmed up.'

**Sorry it took so long getting it out and that it's shorter than usual but I didn't have that much inspiration but I will try and get another one out sooner. Review and favourite and all that stuff. Thanks for all the positive reviews for last chapter.**


	11. Please Don't Leave Me

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games no matter how much I would like to. **

It rained all of the next day as well but I really didn't care, we spent the whole day in our cave snuggled together in the sleeping bag using each other's heat for warmth. As I lay there I couldn't help but think of Finnick, he hated any guy who looked at me and never let any of them besides Toby near me. Heck he even gave Toby this huge lecture when I first brought him home after school one day when I was 13.

As soon as we walked through the front door he was on us.  
'Who's this then? Hmmm?' he raised his eyebrows and gestured to Toby whose eyes grew huge.  
'This is Toby; I met him at school we're supposed to do a project together on the effects of a fishing decrease on the Capitol and outlying areas.' I mumbled, I still wasn't used to Toby yet I usually just nodded when he talked to me.  
'Why don't you make the two of you a snack so I can have a chat with Toby? Man to man.'  
'Okay' I ran into the kitchen leaving Toby glued to the spot looking more scared than I'd ever seen anyone and he had a reason to be, he had seen what Finnick can do with a trident and they weren't that hard to find where we lived.

I leaned against the door and listened to Finnick, I could hear him pacing in the next room and Toby sounded like he was breathing heavily.  
'What are your intentions with my sister?'  
'Intentions? We're just doing a project together. I swear!' his voice sounded high pitched and squeaky like mine did whenever I was forced to talk in class.  
'My sister is all I have and I care about her more than anything. I don't know who you are or what you're capable of but you know me and you sure as hell have seen what I can do when I'm angry. You wouldn't do anything to make me angry now would you?'  
'N...n...n...no sir.'  
'Good because if you hurt my sister you'll wish I treated you as nicely as I did to those I killed in the Hunger Games. Got it?'  
'Yes sir.'  
I heard footsteps and leapt towards the cupboard and grabbed some crackers smothering them quickly with peanut butter. From that moment on Toby and I were inseparable, I have no idea why I think he was initially just nice to me so that Finnick wouldn't kill him but after a while it became more than that and we were the only people that we could talk to.

'What are you thinking about Blondie?' His voice pulled me out of memory and back to the misery of the cave and my impending death. In those few moments I had forgotten I was going to die but now looking into Thresh's face that was all I saw. One of us dead and the other alive, I knew it would be the two of us but I had no idea which one either way we would lose.  
'Nothing. I just don't want to lose you. If I win that means you die and that doesn't feel like a win to me. I kinda think that I need you with me now, I don't think I can live without you, you're my rock.'  
'Are you making a joke about my size?'  
'No I'm being dead serious and if I was going to make a joke I would call you a mountain. Now what are we going to do without each other?'  
'In all honesty I don't want to think about it. When I got here I knew I would do anything to win and that I wouldn't make an alliance because I didn't think I needed one. But then I met you and it made me think that maybe there are some things that are better than living, like you for example. You mean more to me than living and I didn't want to think about losing you because I know I would say that I would do anything to keep you alive but I might not be able to keep that promise. You know what I mean?'  
'Absolutely, but we're nearing the end you know. We could die any day now for any number of reasons, starvation, dehydration, blood loss. I just would hate it coming down to us two and then we're forced to kill each other.'  
'Well I promise I won't kill you if you promise not to kill me.'  
'We may not get that choice.'  
'Please Blondie promise.'  
'I promise.'

* * *

The days seemed shorter, we still didn't know what had happened to Rue but we still looked for her every day. Wherever she was she was probably holding on for dear life but we still couldn't find her. It put Thresh on edge, like he used to be before we found her the first time, he just wanted to protect her, to make sure that he could at least control something that was happening here. But that just like everything else was ripped away from us.

The rain had stopped after two days and my leg was getting better though I was still limping along, Finnick sent us plenty of food and I couldn't think about how pissed those in the Capitol must be at us. We had a near perfect life out here, we had each other and we had plenty of food and nothing to worry about except someone finding us but that wasn't very likely to happen again plus the game makers had never sent us a trap. It was only when we left our paradise that anything bad ever happened to us. Until today.

I swam around in the cool water with the sun beating down on my back whilst Thresh sat on the shore dangling his feet in the water watching me.  
'You know that's really creepy.'  
'You know you're beautiful.' I splashed him full in the face and he dove in head first and grabbed me by the waist and threw me over his shoulder.  
'Put me down, put me down' I yelled through giggles.  
'As you wish.' He threw me face first into the water and I came up steaming.  
'That wasn't very nice.' I said pouting.  
'I'm sorry; here let me make it up to you.' He leaned over and pulled me close to him slowly letting his lips meet mine. 'How's that?' my laughter turned into a shriek as the tentacles shot from the water and wrapped themselves around his neck and dragged him under the surface.

'THRESH! THRESH! OH MY GOD! THRESH!' I swam to the bank and pulled myself up to the surface, sprinting towards the cave. I ran inside and grabbed the closest weapon I could find; Thresh's axe. I sprinted back to the water and dove in head first and came face to face with the most horrifying thing I'd ever seen. Thresh had turned blue and was being dragged further under by giant greying tentacles squeezing him within an inch of his life. He was slumped over and a trickle of blood was running down his face and mixing with the water, turning it a crimson red.

I swam towards him but was smashed against the wall of the lake, one of the tentacles pinning me there, making it hard for me to move. I tried to wriggle free but the thing was twice my size, I couldn't see if it had a head, it could've been just the tentacles which made it even more frightening. I knew this was a trap set because the game was moving slowly, if I could just save him then maybe they would leave us alone for a while. I jabbed the axe into the slimy arm holding me to the wall and green blood started to gush out all down my front, I kicked off the side and shot to the surface gasping for air before going back under to save him. I dodged between the tentacles attempting to grab me and drag me down and hacked at any that came to close, I stabbed at the one holding Thresh, it recoiled in pain and let go long enough for me to grab him.

I tried to drag him to the surface but he was heavy and kept dragging me down and I did not dare to give up on him, after what seemed like forever I finally pulled him up on the bank his lips had turned blue and he wasn't breathing.

I lay him on his back and began to do an everyday activity of District 4, CPR. I pumped at his chest, in an attempt to start his heart and pressed my lips to his breathing deeply into his lungs.  
'Come on baby, don't you give up on me now.'

**Oh my gosh, I'm sorry it took so long but my internet was down because my computer was infected by a virus called security shield which is a piece of shit that locks you out. But I'm back now please don't hate me. Please review, rate and favourite, It means alot :)**


	12. The Power To Destroy

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games no matter how much I would like to. **

'One, two, three, four, five. One, two, three, four, five. Please baby please wake up.' His lips were still blue and his heartbeat was fading but I didn't dare to give up on him, the cannon hadn't sounded yet and until I heard that blast I wouldn't even begin to consider that he could die. Tears streamed down my face mixing with the water from the lake and the blood from the monster smeared across my front, I tried to fight them back but I couldn't, Thresh wasn't allowed to die.

An explosion echoed across the valley and I could see and smell smoke furling up from behind the field but I didn't stop, if something was coming to get me I didn't care, he was all I cared about and nothing would stop me from saving him. 'One, two, three, four fiv...' A stream of water shot out of his mouth into my face, he began to choke, gag and gasp for air as his eyes flew open. I rolled him over onto his side as he continued to vomit up lake water and stroked his hair, crying with joy that I had brought him back.

When the retching subsided he turned back onto his back still breathing heavily, he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into his chest.  
'My hero.' He wispered in my ear, his voice hoasre and cracking. We lay on the floor holding each other until Thresh stared at the sky and saw the mass amounts of smoke closing in on us.  
'What happened?'  
'I don't know, there was an explosion and then there was smoke but I only cared about saving you.'  
'Let's go check it out.'  
'It could be dangerous and you're still recovering.'  
'Still it's better to know what's out there than to just think about every possible tragic scenario.'  
'I'll go you need your rest, I'll be back soon.'

* * *

I crawled on my stomach in the dirt at the edge of the wheat field and peered through the grain, pulling my damp shirt over my mouth to prevent myself from inhaling the smoke. The field next to the Cornucopia was ruined, charred rubble was strewn everywhere and I could see the girl from 12 crawling slowly into the bushes on the outskirts of the forest seconds before the tributes from 2 and 1 charge into the clearing. Cato the boy from 2 drops to the ground and begins to beat his fists and rip his hair out of his head whilst the others stand amazed at the sight of the wreckage. The boy from District 3 throws stones into the ruins and yells something about mines which draws the rest nearer and they begin to search amongst the rubble, after a while Cato turns on the boy from 3 and begins to shout at him, saying it was all his fault. The boy from District 3 only has time to turn and run before Cato catches him in a headlock from behind. I can see the muscles ripple in Cato's arms as he sharply jerks the boy's head to the side.

I crawl back to Thresh who is lying in the cave sleeping, he chest moving slowly up and down, his eyes flicker open when I enter.  
'What happened?' his voice sounds weak and fragile and it brings tears to my eyes.  
'Someone or something destroyed the career's food supply, the guy from 2 killed the boy from 3 because of it. Something about faulty mines or something. I saw the girl from 12 crawl into the forest seconds before they arrived back at their camp which makes me think that she had something to do with it.'  
'Good, if they don't have any food it won't be long before they're out of the game as well and then we can finally be together.'  
'Yeah until we have to kill each other.'  
'If you say that again something bad is going to happen to you, understand?'  
'Perfectly. You know they say love is giving someone the power to destroy you, but ultimately trusting them not to. Do you trust me?'  
'Absolutely Blondie, Absolutely.'

**Okay, yeah it's short but I felt like I had to post something this week. My computer's being a bitch lately so it's harder for me to post and to write chapters but I'm pretty sure it's all fixed now YAY! Please review, rate and favourite, it only takes a second and it means a lot. :)**


	13. Screwed

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games no matter how much I would like to. **

That night two faces appeared in the sky, the boy from 3 that I had seen earlier as well as the boy from 10 who must have died early in the morning when we were being attacked. The last day had been hectic so we were hoping for some peace and quiet, the Capitol should have had enough violence to keep them happy for a while.  
'I want to go looking for her again.' Thresh is standing at the mouth of the cave looking out into the trees.  
'Okay, do you want me to come with you?' He nods, the last time I had stayed here by myself when he was off looking for her I was attacked he didn't want to risk losing us both.

* * *

We walk for hours, searching for even a single hint that we might find her, Thresh follows the birds trying to catch her song. The forest is silent and we come across no one.  
'Maybe she doesn't want to be found.'  
'What the hell are you talking about Blondie?'  
'Well we told her where we were camping so she should know where to go so if she had wanted to she could have shown up at camp any day.'  
'Or maybe she's crushed under some rock waiting for us to come and find her, clinging onto her last strain of life.'

We walked for the rest of the time in silence, he was so determined and didn't want to give up until there was proof that we were never going to find her which pretty much meant seeing her face in the sky. I didn't know Rue like he did but I knew she would be found if she wanted to, she send bird calls or a message or just show up at camp. There is no way that she's survived this long if that tiny little thing was injured and dying somewhere surely the Capitol sent some horrible contraption after her if she was on the last inches of life to liven up the games.

As the sky grew dark we walked back to the cave exhausted, I knew we would never find her but I tried to be supportive.  
'We can try again in the morning 11, I'm sure we'll find her eventually.'

* * *

As the sky went dark and the anthem began to play Thresh began to prepare our dinner in the cave and I lay on my back staring at the sky. The boy from 1 is the first to flash across the sky to my surprise, they usually last until the end and now both from 1 were gone I think it was the first time that they'd ever been out so early in the games. I was wondering how he died when her fragile, perfect face flashed across the sky and my heart felt like it would fall out of my chest. I couldn't breathe and my eyes filled with tears and I just wanted to scream but no words would come out.

Thresh came outside carrying our dinner on plates that Finnick had sent us and took one look at my face before glancing at the sky just in time to see Rue fade amoungst the stars. The food fell to the floor and the plates smashed to pieces on the ground. He sank to his knees and began to shake his head from side to side as though he couldn't believe it. He had tried his best tot save her and now she was just gone and we didn't even know how she died but I knew one thing he would never stop blaming himself, in his eyes this was all his fault.

* * *

It took him an hour to move, he just sat there staring at the sky, defeated but he eventually got up and grabbed his axe and stormed into the forest without a word. He was gone for hours, even longer than when he'd kissed me for the first time, the sun was starting to rise when he finally showed up, covered in dirt and sweat his eyes red from crying. He walked slowly over to me and stared at my feet.  
'I'm sorry Blondie, I wanted to be strong for you.'  
His voice cracked and my eyes filled with tears and I grabbed him and pulled him close to me.  
'You are strong no matter what anyone says, you're my hero. It's okay to be sad when someone dies, it in no way makes you weak. Love is what makes people strong and brings them together. Those who are weak are those who don't know love.'  
'You think the Capitol believes that?'  
'Do you really think those who make their children fight to the death are capable of love?'  
'I'll take that as a no.' He smiled and wiped the tears from his eyes. 'Come on I'll make you breakfast, it's the least I can do since I destroyed your dinner.'

I laughed as he pulled me into the cave, I searched through our supplies for our medicene and pulled out the white case. As the lid fell back my stomach began to sink, there was only one left. I couldn't go longer than 2 days, 3 at the most without my medication. I was screwed.


	14. Blinded

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games no matter how much I would like to. **

I shoved the cart back under the supplies hiding the contents from Thresh, he had had enough to deal with for one day. He didn't need to be worrying about me. I could barely keep my food down. As the days passed my head began to throb and the world began to spin under my feet, I hid this all from him faking smiles but I knew I couldn't keep it up for long.

'11, I'm going into the woods for a walk and to get some food okay.'  
'Sure thing Blondie. Do you want me to come with you?' I shook my head.  
'No baby it's fine I can take care of myself.' I flashed him a smile as I pulled myself out of the cave my feet dragging across the ground. I struggled through the branches my head pounding and the world spinning. I sank to the floor sweat pouring down my face, just walking two metres away from the clearing was to much work for my dying body. If I couldn't make a simple walk how would I fend off any one who came my way swinging a weapon. I tried to focus on my surroundings but everything as a blur, I fell forward on my hands and threw up what little breakfast I had managed to swallow.

I struggled as I lifted my head to the sky, my head feeling as though it weighed a thousand pounds.  
'Finnick, Finnick. Please!' It was barely a whisper and tears began to fog my aching eyes but nothing fell from the sky, before all I had to do was ask and everything I needed would fall into my lap but now when I needed it the most nothing came. 'F...F...Finnick.'  
I collapsed on the hard, leaf-covered earth and curled into a ball, maybe we had run out of sponsors maybe... maybe...

* * *

I woke up sweating tangled in blankets a cool wash cloth on my forehead. My head still throbbed but the world was spinning less rapidly, I could see a figure standing over me but I couldn't make out more than an outline.  
'Wha...' I tried to sit up but fell back onto the pillows.  
'Geez Blondie, you scared me half to death. You didn't come back for 3 hours and I went looking for you and you were passed out under a tree. You were burning up and muttering crazy about sponsors. I brought you back here and went looking for your medicine and found the empty case hidden under all our stuff. What the hell were you thinking?'  
'I didn't want you to worry.' My voice was weak and shaky and my throat hurt as I forced the words to come out.'  
'Worry, Worry! You've been asleep for 3 days, I thought you were going to die.' He says as he lowers a water bottle to my lips and forces me to drink.  
'Did I miss anything special?'  
'Nothing that concerns us, but they did change the rules. Two victors can be crowned if they come from the same district probably because of the 2 in 12 being in love. But that isn't fair because we're a couple and we still have to kill each other.' His face filled with sadness as he pressed his lips against my temple and brushed my hair behind my ears.  
'Well you can win since I'm going to die anyway.'  
'Don't talk like that, you're going to be fine look you're awake and talking, you just need to last until the end.'  
'Thresh I can't even see, how the hell am I supposed to last?'  
'What do you mean you can't see? You're joking right, shit you've gone blind.'  
'I'm not blind everything's just blurred together.'  
'Well when you win they'll fix you up nice and good.'

* * *

Thresh filled my head with positive reinforcements for the next day saying I was getting better even though all the while I was getting worse, I knew there was no way I could make it til the end seeing as there was still 5 others besides us left in the game. I was just about to cave in when Claudius Templesmith's voice resonated around the cave.  
'Tributes may I congratulate you on making it this far. The Gamemakers and I would like to invite you to attend a feat in the Cornucopia.' I shook my head, we had enough food and supplies we were fine. I wasn't going to let Thresh risk his life for nothing, one year all it was was a loaf of bread who knows what piece of shit they'll try to get us to fight over.  
'Now hold on. Some of you may already be declining my invitation. But this is no ordinary feast. Each of you needs something desperately.' I sensed Thresh jump to his feet and run to the entrance of the cave. He was listening with eager interest.  
'Each of you will find that something in a backpack, marked with your district number, at the Cornucopia at dawn. Think hard about refusing to show up. For some of you, this will be your last chance.'

'Don't you even fucking think about it.' I gripped the cave wall and pulled myself up to my feet swaying dangerously as the world began to spin faster as the blood rushed from my head.  
'I'm going and you can't stop me, you can't even see.'  
'No, but I can feel,' I stumbled across the cave and fell into his arms. I felt for his face and cupped it in my hands. 'You are not going I will find some way to stop you because if you haven't figured it out already. Thresh, I love you.'


	15. Please, I Need You

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games no matter how much I would like to. **

He scooped me up in his arms and carried me back to the bed; he tucked me under the blankets and stroked my hair as I cried into his chest.  
'Don't go, please don't go. I don't want you dying for me, please, I love you.'  
'I love you too, that's why I have to go. I can't have you dying because of me.'  
'Well I can't have you dying because of me. Even if you save me this time what if they only leave enough for one day what if they don't even leave anything and it's all just a big trick to get you to fight the others. What if you die for nothing but an empty sack or a syringe full of air or water? Did you ever think about that?!'  
I sat up and fell straight back down as the world began to spin; Thresh caught me in his arms before I pushed him away and began to vomit. Every part of me stung, my muscles ached and my throat throbbed as everything came up that I'd eaten that day. The vomit mixed with my tears as Thresh stroked my hair and held it out of my face.

* * *

I heard a crash in the cave and sat bolt upright in bed.  
'Shit' I heard Thresh whisper across the cave, he must have been trying to sneak out whilst I was sleeping.  
'What the hell 11, you scared me half to death now get your ass back in this cave you aren't going anywhere!'  
'Just let me do this Blondie, I love you more than anything and if I have to die for you to live well that's a price I'm willing to play.' I heard his footsteps as he walked over to me. He knelt down beside me and held my face in his hands; he kissed me softly on the top of my head. Then I felt him place something around my neck.  
'Wha...'  
'I'm giving you my token, to keep you safe and to bring you good luck just like it did with me. Without this I would never have met you.' He kisses me quickly before running out of the cave before I can stop him. I finger the crescent around my neck as I cry remembering that day by the carriages.

_I was standing there when I noticed something shining on the ground; I bent down to pick it up and saw it was a crescent shaped necklace, the symbol of District 11. It was probably one of their tokens; I looked around for their carriage which was near the back._  
_'I'll be right back' I told the boy from my district._  
_'Where are you going? We're supposed to stay here; it's going to start soon.' He was freaking out._  
_'I'm not going very far, just over there I found someone's token and I want to give it back to them. I'll be back in a second.' I walked past all the carriages and all the tributes turned to watch, they were all glued to theirs and here I was walking away from mine. I wondered if it was against the rules but nobody stopped me so I kept going. When I got to the carriage for 11 I saw that the girl tribute, who was tiny and small but she was also already wearing a necklace made from grass around her neck, it must have been his. Perfect, I thought to myself smiling._

_'Excuse me' He turned around to look at me, he raised his eyebrows when he saw I was a tribute and a half naked tribute at that. He couldn't talk he was dressed as a farmer in gaudy overalls and a wreath on his head, if either of us should be embarrassed it was him._  
_'What?' His voice was surly and coarse, he was the kind of person who didn't spend time talking just standing around and looking tough but his glare wasn't intimidating me._  
_'I think you dropped something 11. Is this yours?' I dangled the chain in front of his face; he lunged at it and snatched it out of my hands._  
_'Yeah'_  
_'Ooh, feisty. And rude, haven't you heard? Snatching isn't nice. Tsk Tsk 11, learn some manners.' His face was priceless, I was probably the only person who hadn't run away screaming but had actually teased him but if I wanted him in my alliance I had to act like talking him wasn't scaring the shit out of me right now._  
_"Umm... sorry. You... you aren't scared of me?'_  
_'What's there to be scared of?' I stood up on my tippy toes bringing my face inches from his and stared straight into his deep, brown eyes his eyes flicked down to my bright pink lips and he was edging closer._  
_'WHERE THE HELL IS 4, HOW THE HELL DO YOU LOSE A TRIBUTE?' A woman in black with a clipboard was freaking out near my carriage yelling at the boy._  
_'I guess that's my cue to leave wouldn't want to cause a scene, now would we?' A giggled and twirled in my heels and headed back to my carriage._  
_'Nice ass!' His comment stopped me dead in my tracks. It was the first honest thing someone in the Capitol had actually said to me._  
_'Nice hat.' I called and kept walking smiling to myself, I saw his reflection in the back of 9's carriage and he was smiling too._

_'Sorry, I had to see a guy about a necklace. I hope I didn't cause too much trouble miss.'_  
_'Just get in your carriage and stay there.' She walked off in a huff to check on the tributes from 5 and I couldn't help but laugh when I looked over at the guy from 11 as he raised his eyebrows and shook his finger at me._

* * *

I spent the day in and out of consciousness, I heard a cannon go off later that morning and I nearly died inside knowing that it could've been him. I heard screaming and footsteps in the distance and I hoped that he was safe. I passed out again soon after, I woke again when I heard someone in the cave, my eye sight was better and I could make out Thresh who was leaning over me as blood trickled down his face, he was pulled the needle from my arm and shoved something in my arms.  
'Put this on, it'll keep you safe I heard them talking about it. I have to go he's following me, I have to keep him away from you.' He ran from the cave and I tried to stand and follow him but I was still weak and my vision blurred again and I stumbled forward. I heard someone screaming as the ripped through the field next to the cave, I scrambled backwards as Cato flew through the clearing in pursuit of Thresh.  
'I'll get you for killing her you bastard, I will get you!'

I reached for what Thresh had thrown me and saw it was a suit the colour of skin woven tightly together, I ran my fingers over the fabric before pulling it on over my clothes; I grabbed my knife and stood slowly. I took a few deep breaths but the world started spinning again and I collapsed on the floor in a heap.

* * *

When I woke it was raining and I felt brand new, I didn't know how long I'd slept for so I grabbed a syringe from the case just in case. I stuffed food and medicine in a backpack just in case I never got back to the cave. I picked up my knife again and ran off into the rain. It didn't take me long to find them in the forest I could hear their screaming from miles away. I ran the rain soaking me through, as I reached a clearing I saw the boy from 2 plunges a blade into Thresh's heart.  
'NOOO!' I screamed and the boy span round looking for where the noise came from. I threw my knife but it just bounced off his skin and I noticed he was wearing the same skin-coloured suit as me, so that's what it did. He picked up the blade and ran at me screaming, I rolled to the side and stuck out my leg tripping him. He fell to the ground with a crash making the whole world shake. He spun bringing the knife across my legs, the blade bounced off just as it had with him.  
'How dare you wear that, it was meant for her. Your monster killed her.'  
'Your right about him being mine but he is no monster.' I brought my foot up and slammed him straight in the nose and he went sprawling backwards. I kicked him again and blood spurted from his nose mixing with the rain, I tried again but he grabbed my foot and pulled me to the ground and I skidded across the mud. He stood over me knife in hand, pointing it directly at my face.  
'Let's see you get sponsors without this pretty little thing.' I heard Thresh groan behind him and knowing he was alive filled me with new energy. As he plunged towards my face I grabbed his hand pulling him downwards the knife lodging in a nearby log and the boy fell face first into the mud. I slammed my foot into his ass pushing him further into the earth; he struggled to his feet before running into the trees.

I sank to my knees and crawled towards Thresh, his eyes flickering beneath the lids. I pressed my hands against the wound trying to stop the blood flow but he'd lost so much already.  
'Baby, please stay with me. Don't leave me, I need you. Please.' I cupped his face in my hand keeping the other on his chest. 'Don't die on me not here not now. I need you, I need you. You're my everything; I couldn't have done this without you. All my life I was so scared of people seeing the real me but you see me and I'm not scared anymore.' I let out a sob as his body shuddered and his eyes stopped flickering, his breath which had been short and sharp just stopped dead, I could feel the warmth leaving his body.  
'I need you please.'

**Sadness, I literally started crying whilst writing this. The next chapter will be the final one :O but if I get enough reviews I will write a sequel, I have an idea in mind but I just want to be sure that people will actually read it. Some subtle ClovexCato shippiness in this chapter because I really think they should have ended up together. Please review, rate and favourite, it means a lot.**


	16. The End

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games no matter how much I would like to. **

I lay on top of his body shielding it from the pouring rain as the tears streamed down my face, I could hear the hovercraft as it drew closer but I would not leave him. I turned my head to the black sky and screamed to the heavens.  
'YOU CAN'T HAVE HIM! HE'S MINE, I WON'T LET YOU TAKE HIM AWAY FROM ME!'  
I held him closer and sobbed into his chest, there was no way they were taking him away from me, after what the Capitol did to him, they took his life but they weren't taking his body. I brushed the hair from his blood-stained face and closed his eyes.  
'Why did this happen to you baby, why didn't you let me die? You should have just let me die. I can't live in a world where you don't exist. You're my everything; I would give anything for you not to be dead.'

The wind picked up whipping around our intertwined bodies as the hovercraft hung in the air above us waiting for me to leave.  
'YOU WANT HIM, THEN YOU'LL HAVE TO GO THROUGH ME! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR JUST KILL ME ALREADY, I DON'T WANT TO LIVE! JUST KILL ME!'  
Arms shot from the hovercraft sparking blue light, they intended to knock me out in order to take his body and leave me in the game just like with the boy who ate his kills. The arms plunged towards me but bounced off the armour Thresh gave me. Even in death he kept me safe.

* * *

It went on for ages her screaming as the wind whipped around her, her hair flying across her face. It brought tears to my eyes seeing her like this, so broken and so sad. After what seemed like hours she crumpled in a heap on top of him not moving, her body bloody and her heart broken.

The cannon blasted signifying her death and I sank to the ground sobbing. All around me people had fallen silent, she was so high on the betting list everyone thought that she could win, no one expected her to just give up like that. I felt hands wrap around my arms pulling me up and out of the control room. I kicked and screamed trying to get back to my computer, she couldn't be dead, she just couldn't be I had to get back there and keep her safe.

As they pulled me out the door my teeth sank into their fingers forcing them to let go, I scrambled over to the door desperate to get back inside my fingers wrapped around the handle but the arms wrapped around my waist and dragged me down the hall as I scratched and bit trying to get free. They finally let go when we got to a small room with some chairs and a table in it they plonked me down in a chair.  
'Finnick get a hold of yourself, there's nothing more you can do.'  
I looked up into his unshaven, scarred face through the tears streaming down my cheeks. He walked over to a corner of the room and poured water out of a jug and handed the glass to me.  
'There's nothing more you can do, she's gone.'  
'It's all my fault Haymitch, I killed her, she died because of me.'  
'You are the greatest brother anyone could ever hope for. You got that girl thousands of sponsors, everyone wanted to give you money heck you had stacks more than I did. All that little girl had to do was look up and you sent her the world. Some people didn't even get one lousy gift, she fricking gets a paper cut and you'd send her a full first aid kit. There was nothing more you could do.'  
'I could have kept her away from him, she gave up he died and she just gave up. She couldn't even try to win he died and she just killed herself, just lay there until she... until she...'  
'Wouldn't you do the same Finnick? If it was Annie, wouldn't you do the same? She died of a broken heart; she gave up the will to live because nothing is worse than living in a world without the one you love. Trust me I know how it feels.'  
I nodded staring at my feet, I couldn't blame her, if it was me I would do the same thing but I always thought she was stronger than me.

The rest of my time in the Capitol was a blur, everyone was saying how they thought she was going to win and it was a shame she didn't. But nobody said they were sorry that she died, nobody seemed to care it was all a game to them and she was just a player, they weren't sorry she died because to them she wasn't even a real person. I wasn't allowed to go even though she was dead, I had to stay and watch the rest of the carnage, the girl from 5 died next from eating poisonous berries and then it was only 2 and 12 left. I didn't think that they really loved each other, I mean the guy Peeta definitely loved her it was obvious but I'd overheard Haymitch on more than one occasion muttering under his breath at the girl Katniss about pretending and trying harder to love him. Juniper really loved Thresh you could see it in the way she looked at him and the way she acted around him so I was having a hard time believing them.

The final day of the Hunger Games was horrific; I had to watch as a mutt with my sister's brown eyes attacked everything in sight. They took advantage of her perfection and exploited it as a game tactic. She was dead and she still managed to remain a pawn in their games. When the two from 12 decided to give their lives for each other unlike everyone else in the Capitol who saw it as a symbol of love I saw it as a symbol of defiance and I knew that I wasn't the only one. Those mutts had been the last straw for me. I went out that afternoon and found Haymitch chugging whisky outside the rooms where they were being kept as they recovered. I leaned in close and whispered in his ear.  
'The rebellion starts now!'

* * *

I stood in the crowd my face hidden by a dark hood, my once blonde hair was now as black as night. I looked up at the screen as the victors from 12 walked across the screen, their love story unfolded on the screen up until the end when they tried to kill themselves to be together. Tears streamed down my face as I watched as someone else stole my dream, someone else got the fairytale ending I so desired. The only thing that made up for it was seeing cato being ripped slowly apart by savage dogs, I nearly died when I saw one had Thresh's eyes but at least he could avenge his own death.

Peacekeepers stormed down the street, searching the crowd but they would never find me. I ducked into an alleyway and disappeared down the street, they would never stop hunting me. I had escaped and now they were pissed but they took everything that mattered to me, they took Thresh the love of my life, so now I was going to take everything that mattered to them, their power and their lives. The Capitol was going down.

**The end, I will be writing a sequel. I wanted to stay true to the book by having Katniss and Peeta win but I didn't want to kill off Jay because I love her character, so the next story will run along side Catching Fire and will be about her being hunted by the Capitol and her reaction to Finnick going back into the Hunger Games. Thanks for all the reviews, especially herpaderpington for your suggestions, I totally almost did them but then I thought being eaten alive by dogs was good enough punishment so I left his death the way it was written. I will post on this story when the next one will be released and if you want I will message you when it comes out. Thanks to everyone who read this one, I hope you like the second one just as much.**


	17. Announcement!

**Announcement: Get excited people Love of a Legacy 2 is now online, check it out on my account. I will be including more charcters from the Hunger Games in this story so that should be good.**

**Description:  
**The sequel to Love of a Legacy. After Juniper escapes she vows revenge on those who killed the man she loves, but when she finds herself being constantly pursued by Capitol cronies she wonders if she will ever be able to feel safe and if you ever really leave the Hunger Games.

**I would really love if you guys read it and all reviews are welcome, even if they critise they help to make the story better.**


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